Rebirth of a Legend
by PyroStriker
Summary: Like the pheonix rising from the ashes, a legend is reborn... Return of the Dragoons in modern times. PG-13 for violence and language. >.> Sorry about the horribly cliched chapter titles, I'm running out of ideas.
1. Dawn of a New Age

Prologue  
  
The year is 1026 After Dragoon. It had been more than a millennium since Melbu Frahma and his plot to revive the Virage Embryo were defeated. Albert returned to his duty as king of Serdio, and Miranda returned to her duties as the Sacred Sister as well. Dart, Shana, Kongol, Meru, and Haschel all worked to wipe out the remaining aberrations created to serve Melbu Frahma's hordes and destroy them during their journey to destroy the Moon Prophecy. With that work done, all the former Dragoons went their separate ways.  
  
Haschel continued without success to find his missing daughter Claire, who was rumored to be Dart's mother as well, though these rumors were never proven. Kongol, being the only of his species left in existence, could not continue the race, which led him to die and the Gigantos to become totally extinct. Meru became an ambassador between the human and Wingly races, which led to a peaceful coexistence for several hundred years until her assassination by a member of a faction that wished the two races separated once more (whether the assassin was human or Wingly, no one knew). With their ambassador dead, the Winglies convinced themselves that there had been a human conspiracy all along and withdrew once again to their enchanted forests.  
  
Dart and Shana were married after the unnatural monster problem was rectified (duh), and raised a family, which everyone expected would be the next generation of Dragoons. However, the Dragoon Spirits showed no reaction to the children. This convinced Dart and Shana that the need for Dragoons had passed, and they destroyed their spirits and convinced the other remaining Dragoons to do so as well. Thus the age of the Dragoons ended.  
  
The river of Time continues to flow, as always, and a new day approaches.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Alright, who can tell me the answer to problem 9?"  
  
About a dozen hands shot into the air.  
  
"How about you, Mr. O'Connor?"  
  
Rayen O'Connor was not one of the dozen students that raised their hands, but this did not bother him. Mrs. Harrison was always trying to catch a student off guard. She loved nothing more than reprimanding a student in front of the entire class. But Rayen was ready with the answer he had figured out just as quickly as any of the others. He wouldn't give Mrs. Harrison the enjoyment of publicly embarrassing him, even though it was usually forgotten the next day.  
  
"382," Rayen said, trying to look as indifferent as he could.  
  
"Humph. Very good, Mr. O'Connor," Mrs. Harrison replied with obvious dissatisfaction.  
  
She continued on with the lesson. Rayen listened with the uninterested attention he always gave Mrs. Harrison. He always was this way last period, ready and anxious to get home. His father had called him during lunch period. He would be getting home late again. He had homework to do, and he needed to get it done and finish everything he needed to do at home in his father's absence before he could leave for his part-time job as one of the night shift at the local music store. He always got his homework done as soon as he could, even on a Friday like this. It saved him a lot of grief with his unpredictable schedules.  
  
The bell rang. Everyone let out an audible sigh of relief. They absentmindedly shoved their papers and notebooks into their bags and filed out the door. Mrs. Harrison's voice rose above the unavoidable post-class chatter that broke out in spurts among the students.  
  
"Remember, page 53, problems 4 through 28, due Monday."  
  
As Rayen walked out onto the campus of Lavitz Slambert High School, named for the Knight of Serdio and Jade Dragoon who suffered an untimely death during the journey against the Moon Prophecy, he felt a tug on the back of his backpack. He didn't have to even turn around to know who it was. The same thing happened every day without fail. He didn't even bother with a greeting. He knew one was forthcoming anyway.  
  
"Hey, Rayen!"  
  
Rayen O'Connor and Philip Jackson had been friends for years, although nobody else could figure out why. The two could not have been more different. While Rayen was relatively quiet and solitary, preferring his own company or that of his small group of trusted friends, Phil was always the center of attention, whether through accident or his own design. Rayen was reserved, and Phil was outgoing. The two could not agree on anything. Nevertheless, they were completely inseparable, although people had tried and failed many times.  
  
Rayen and Phil even looked different. They were both juniors, 17 years old, born within two weeks of each other in the September and October of 1009, the resemblance ended there. Rayen's hair was the color between blond and brown that had many different names, and his eyes were blue, but not the bright, icy blue people always think of when comparing the color blue to eyes. His eyes were a deeper blue, with flecks of green, which made Rayen's eyes look like the way moonlight touches the ripples of a deep lake. Phil's hair was a much darker brown, and his eyes were the kind of green where they almost look hazel. While Phil was lean and lanky, great for his position as forward on the school basketball team, Rayen was more firmly built, although one wouldn't go so far as to use the word 'stocky'.  
  
"So, you coming to the party tonight? Lots of people are gonna be there, including."  
  
Rayen didn't need to know what Phil was going to say next, he got the general idea. He rolled his eyes and rapped the back of Phil's head with his knuckles, their ways of saying the other was being stupid. While Phil rubbed the back of his skull and made a half-hearted protest, Rayen turned around and fixed him with the glare reserved for Phil on occasions such as this.  
  
"You know that even if I wanted to go, which I don't (as stated before, Rayen was solitary and therefore not the life of the party), I might not be able to get off work on time. Besides, my dad's getting home late again, he'll get worried if I'm not there."  
  
"You could always leave a note or something," Phil remarked, but he knew he was wasting his breath. Rayen's father, Joseph O'Connor, had been getting more and more pressure at work lately. With his mother gone (dead two years ago from breast cancer), Rayen was the only thing his father had left. He tried to be there as much as possible for his father. Phil understood this, but he thought his friend should lighten up a little bit more. He sighed and walked toward the parking lot with his friend in silence.  
  
Once they got to the parking lot, Phil and Rayen split up. Phil went to his car, while Rayen headed to the bus stop. Rayen believed that taking a car was not worth the extra time and effort for the traffic jams coming to and from school, especially since he lived so close to the school in the first place. Plus, taking the bus saved a great deal of gas money. He had only a four-hour shift, and therefore didn't make a great deal of cash, which he felt no need to throw around frivolously. He boarded the bus and sat in the back in silence.  
  
The bus dropped him off at the nearest stop to his house, and he calmly walked up to the door. His house was unremarkable; your usual tan colored suburban home. He produced the key from his bag, unlocked the door, and entered. His father was not home, of course. He wouldn't have been even if he were getting home at the normal time. He sighed, dropped his backpack on the floor and slumped onto the couch. He sat there for a few minutes, then opened the zipper, pulled out his books and some paper, and started his homework.  
  
After a couple of hours of work, he put his things away and went into the kitchen. He fixed himself a quick grilled cheese sandwich (a diet staple in college, from what he heard), and helped himself to a bunch of grapes from the fridge. He sat down and ate. As he got up to fill up the cat's food dish, he thought he saw something in the backyard. Curious, he opened the sliding glass door and walked out to the object on the grass.  
  
Rayen bended over to examine it. It was a ruby, perfectly circular and about the size of his fist, its many facets winking in the setting sun. Odd, he thought. A gem like this must be worth a fortune, what would it be doing in his backyard? He should talk to his father about it when he got home, and then he'd turn it over to the authorities to find the proper owner. He stooped down and picked it up.  
  
This resulting in a sudden, blinding flash of light that caused Rayen to stagger. He blinked, but the light had gone from the stone. He pondered the cause, then came upon a possible idea. Could it be that the history books had gotten it wrong? No, Rayen decided, shaking his head, it was merely the sun catching one of the facets at an angle, nothing more. He checked his watch. 5:40. He needed to get going, or he'd be late for his 6:00 shift. He pocketed the stone, fed the cat, and left for work. 


	2. Unnatural Disturbance

Disclamer: Yeah, so I forgot to put this in the first chapter. Oh well. As I'm sure you have all heard MANY times before, I do not own the game Legend of Dragoon, or any of the names associated with the actual game. However, all of the characters NOT in the game (Rayen and the rest) are MINE and you may not copy them without legal consent from me. Have a nice day.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Rayen pulled the car into the garage. Work was over, and he was finally home. His dad's car was in the garage as well, which relieved Rayen greatly. It would not have been the first time his father had been out that late. The commute to Lohan was a long drive, especially during traffic. But he was home. Rayen shut off the car and walked into the house.  
  
Joseph O'Connor was in the living room, watching TV while eating a plate of pasta. His father had been so busy lately he couldn't even take time off for dinner during work, and he had learned to eat whenever it was most convinient. When Rayen entered, he looked up.  
  
"Ah, Rayen! You're home. Did you get your paycheck for the week?"  
  
Rayen nodded and showed his father the check. Then he went into the kitchen, grabbed a small snack, and went out to sit by his father. This was the time they spent together, the little time they had left. They would sit and eat, and talk about sports or politics or whatever they liked for a few hours. After a couple hours of this, Rayen and his father went up to bed.  
  
Rayen slept peacefully; for about an hour. He was jerked awake by his father. He mumbled a sleepy protest, but as soon as he saw the look in his father's eyes he was instantly awake. His father was also carrying the handgun he kept locked in his nightstand drawer. Rayen knew immediately this was serious. His father never acted like this.  
  
"There's something in the backyard. Grab your sword. Quickly."  
  
His father left the room. Rayen grabbed his sword, a present for his 15th birthday, and followed.  
  
"Keep quiet."  
  
They peeked through the glass door from around a corner. What was outside made Rayen wonder if he was either dreaming or taking an illegal substance. Outside in the yard were two large lizard-like creatures that stood on two legs and had small arms with gigantic claws. But the thing behind them was weirder still. It vaguely resembled a human, but its skin was blue and its ears pointed. It wore armor, and it floated. In midair. Rayen rubbed his eyes, but the creatures were still there. The scene became even stranger when the floating man spoke.  
  
"Why in the world would the portal open here? In the middle of a human settlement! So much for stealth."  
  
Rayen was so surprised to hear the thing talk he audibly gasped. The things heard it, and they turned and saw the two of them before they could duck away. This led his father to do something truly desparate. He threw open the sliding glass door and pointed his gun at one of the lizard things. Rayen followed, his sword ready, although he felt none of the mysterious confidence his father suddenly gained.  
  
"I don't know who or what you things are, but this is my property. Get out now!"  
  
Brave words, but the creatures didn't seem intimidated. The floating abomination threw back its azure head and laughed. Joseph O'Connor obviously felt he needed to get his point across. He fired his gun at one of the lizards. The bullet penetrated flesh, and the monster hissed and spit, but the would seemed to be little more than an annoyance.  
  
The floating thing had stopped laughing. He looked at Rayen and his father, as if trying to decide what to do with them. Finally he gestured to the lizard creatures.  
  
"I tire of this interruption. Kill them."  
  
The lizards obviously didn't speak English, as they conferred among themselves in a combination of warbles and grunts, but they understood it. The monster that was shot by the elder Mr. O'Connor advanced, obviously intent on revenge. Rayen did the first thing that came to his mind; he threw his sword. The beast simply stopped, and with one swipe of those huge claws, shattered the blade into pieces. In desparation, Rayen searched his pockets, and his hands closed on the ruby he found before work. It began to glow and get hot in his hand.  
  
It was worth a shot. He pulled the red stone out of his pocket and held it at arms length. It flashed even brighter, and Rayen pulled his hand back in surprise. His palm and fingers were scorched. He looked up, and he nearly choked. The gem was floating where he had left it when he left go. As he straightened up, his breath ragged, the jewel suddenly shot backward and imbedded itself in his chest.  
  
White-hot flames spread all over his body, and Rayen thought he would be incinerated in an instant. But it didn't happen. The flames hardened, became armor that was as red as blood and incredibly light. More flames sprouted from his back and became wings that were like a bat's- or maybe a dragon's. Finally, in his formerly scorched hand, a sword formed from the flames, a blade like none he had ever seen before.  
  
The transformation ended with another flash, and the lizard closest to him screeched and fell back, its body blackened. Then the lizard dissappeared, seemed to fade out of existance. All of the three living creatures in the area, including his father, were looking at him like he was walking around without a head. The floating creature regained its composure first, however.  
  
"What are you waiting for? I said, kill them!" The remaining lizard looked at Rayen with apprehension, but the floating thing's influence was obviously too great. It pounced at Rayen. Out of pure instinct, Rayen raised his blade and brought it downward. The creature let out a croaking shriek as its body, which had withstood the handgun bullet so easily, was cleaved in two. Then it too seemed to dissapate into the air.  
  
"It's impossible! After more than a thousand years, how could they return now?" The floating blue man quickly weighed the current situation. The red warrior had dealt with his minions easily enough, but he was much stronger, and it was doubtful this boy had yet developed the deadly magic that the winged warriors were known (and feared) for. He would cause too much trouble if allowed to live. It made up its mind. It would destroy this impertinent youth before it became a major problem.  
  
Rayen watched as the floating creature raised its hand towards him. A beam of inky blackness shot from the indigo palm and slammed into his chest. The blow sent Rayen stumbling backward a couple steps, but he stood back up, only momentarily fazed. Rayen suddenly felt a presence in the back of his mind, a presence he could neither understand or explain. His body began to move on its own. The wings on his back beat in a steady rythym, and he floated in midair.  
  
The monster and his father stared, transfixed, as Rayen's arm, moving on its own, threw the new sword high into the air. Both his hands cupped around the large gem on his chest, where a red glow formed. The red glow became an orb of fire, which grew until it became larger than Rayen's fist. The fist, however, was moving backwards. Then his arm snapped forward again, his fist slamming into the fiery orb and lauching it at the floating beast.  
  
It was over in an instant. The globe exploded into flame, consuming the blue creature and the air around it. When the smoke cleared, the thing was gone, like the other two. Only Rayen and his father remained. They stared at each other. Then the stone in his chest glowed again, and the armor disappeared. The ruby detatched itself from his chest, and it bounced off the patio and into the grass. Neither of them needed to say what had happened. There was not a single day without a song about the warriors of the past.  
  
"I didn't want this, Dad," Rayen choked.  
  
"I know, Rayen, I know. Someone will probably call the police. You had better hide that gem somewhere."  
  
He was right. The explosion had roused one of the neighbors. True to her role as a concerned member of society, she quickly dialed the police.  
  
Rayen nodded and picked up the jewel. He stashed it away in his drawers. He got dressed and went down into the living room, where they would wait for the authorities. He quickly thought of a way to explain the night's events, all the while listening. Sure enough, soon the sound of sirens split the night. 


	3. Otherworldly Advisors

Chapter 3  
  
"Now, would you mind running that by me once more?"  
  
Rayen sighed. This was the third time the officer had asked for his story. It was past midnight and he was drained both mentally and physically. The officer seemed skeptical, it was clear he thought Rayen knew more about what happened. He was right. Rayen had told the truth, just not the whole truth.  
  
"We were woken up (this was true, he just didn't say WHAT woke them up), and we went outside. We saw what was left of the explosion (true as well, but he didn't specify when), and we figured the danger must have passed." He exhibited the burnt patch of grass in his backyard as evidence.  
  
"Why was there no shrapnel or anything?"  
  
Rayen shrugged. Rayen could not answer that question without lying, so he remained silent. The cop cast one last suspicious look at him, called his partners, and left. He heard the cop car pull out of the driveway, and waited until the sound was far away. He let out a sigh of relief and went upstairs.  
  
Rayen's father came out of his room.  
  
"They gone?"  
  
"Yeah, finally. I had to go over it three times before they were satisfied. I wouldn't be surprised if they came back tomorrow with a search warrant- or should I say later today."  
  
It was 1:30 in the morning. Rayen yawned. Joseph O'Connor looked at his son with concern.  
  
"You look beat. Go up and get some rest."  
  
"Best idea I've heard all morning."  
  
Rayen left. His father sighed. It had all been so strange. First the monsters, and then his son turning into a Dragoon, the legendary warriors which had not been seen for over a thousand years! Of course, sooner or later someone would find out about his powers, and then he would have to leave home. Rayen leaving home. He didn't want to think about that right now. Best to let the matter drop. Rayen seemed edgy, almost afraid of this new power that he had been given.  
  
Rayen opened the door to his room. He flopped face-first onto the bed. Even though he was tired beyond belief after the fight and his miraculous transformation, he felt stronger than he had ever been before. It was if some of the power he had gained as a Dragoon had become a permanent part of him, even when he wasn't in Dragoon form. This troubled him. Why had he, of all people, become a Dragoon? He was no legendary warrior. He had only been taking lessons with the sword for about a year and a half, and was hardly a master.  
  
He sighed. There was really no point in worrying about this now. He needed sleep. None of this would be gone tomorrow, as much as he wished it would. He would deal with it then. He closed his eyes, and almost instantaneously fell asleep.  
  
Rayen had a dream, but it was unlike any dream he had experienced before. He stood (or was it floated? He couldn't tell) in an endless void of nothingness. Nothing, not even color. It was endless black. Rayen wondered how he could breathe, since there was obviously no air. But that wasn't important. This was not your run-of-the-mill dream, he could tell. It was some sort of vision, and he was brought here for a reason.  
  
As if on cue, a voice came from the void.  
  
"A great power has been given to you, warrior, but also a great burden. Do you accept this?"  
  
"Do I have much of a choice?" Rayen shot back dryly. He was still slightly troubled over the whole ordeal, and it caused him to be somewhat bitter and cynical toward this statement.  
  
The spectral voice did not seem bothered, however, in fact, a laugh came out of the corners of the void.  
  
"Astute observation! No, there is no choice. It is your destiny."  
  
"Next time, can you inform my destiny that a simple postcard will suffice?"  
  
The voice laughed again, then became serious.  
  
"Listen well, for this is important. The power you felt when you first transformed is nothing compared to what you will feel when you become more experienced. Dragoons have changed from what they were a millennium ago. There are no longer merely a handful of spells such as the one I cast-"  
  
"So it was you that cast that spell!"  
  
"Yes. I hope you didn't mind me borrowing the use of your body for a moment. You see, I was breaking down a barrier. To control even the weakest of Dragoon Magic takes months of training, but now that should not be a problem for you."  
  
"Alright. Now, as you were saying?"  
  
"Right. As I was saying, there are no longer merely a handful of spells available to you. You may use these spells, but you may also control a different type of magic. You can bend the very essence of magic to your will. You can create any spell you wish, although it will take more energy. This will make you much more versatile than your predecessors. You will need it."  
  
"Sounds like I've got my work cut out for me."  
  
"Indeed you will. My most important message to you is; train your powers. Use them well, young warrior."  
  
Rayen disappeared, back to his peaceful rest.  
  
Another voice came out of the emptiness. While the first voice was a man's, this one was most definitely feminine.  
  
"As you said, this is a great burden. Do you think he can do it?"  
  
After she said this, the speaker appeared. It was a young woman, with brown hair and eyes that looked as if they had seen too many of the sorrows of the world. Next to her, a young man materialized. He was dressed in red armor with spiked blond hair. He spoke, with the voice that had came to Rayen out of the void.  
  
"I don't know. He is young, even younger than we were when the burden was first placed upon us."  
  
"He is also not trained as a warrior, as we were," Shana pointed out.  
  
"He will just have to pick it up as he goes," a third voice commented. "Besides, it was a now-or-never sort of thing."  
  
A man with a blond ponytail, dressed in armor and a green cape appeared beside the others. He was followed immediately by a gigantic man in huge armor.  
  
"King Albert right. If he not changed then, monsters kill boy and father."  
  
"He has his father and friends. The thought of protecting them will keep him strong."  
  
A dark-haired woman in purple armor materialized near the others.  
  
"Rose has a point. He has motivation, although he may not realize it yet."  
  
One by one, each of the nine Dragoons of the past appeared in the void, each offering their own views into the boy's future. They debated for a long while, for even time exists in the emptiness of the world of the dead. Eventually Dart interrupted the conversation.  
  
"Enough. We cannot decide the boy's path. That choice is his alone."  
  
The other eight nodded in thoughtful agreement. One by one, all the eight disappeared, back to their watchful rest. After a few minutes, only Dart remained. He stared out into the void, sorting his pensive thoughts. It was a long time before he faded away as well. 


	4. The Day After

Chapter 4  
  
The alarm clock on Rayen's bedside table beeped loudly.  
  
Rayen rolled over and grumbled. He had set the alarm for 10:30, because he was up so late. But he still felt wiped. Then again, he was always like this when he first woke up. Breakfast would probably help. Rayen decided to vent his anger by slamming his hand on the snooze button as hard as he could.  
  
The sound of snapping plastic startled him. He looked at the clock, only to see that his blow had split it into two! He looked at his hand in awe. He had done that with an open hand! Now that he was fully awake, Rayen was beginning to appreciate the after-effects of his transformation. Another of the after-effects hung in its sheath on a hook near the door. Rayen got out of bed, dressed, then walked over to the hook and pulled out the sword.  
  
The blade was of the finest steel, chased with silver. The crosspieces were in the shape of a golden eagle with its wings outspread, the feathers of its wings and tail cast in bronze, as if the dawn's first light had just begun to grace their plumes. The eagle's fierce eye was appropriately a miniscule fire opal, its talons equally tiny diamonds. The hilt was also of gold, studded with four large gems, a ruby, a star sapphire, a blue topaz, and an emerald. Rayen supposed it remained afterwards to replace the one he lost during the fight. He remembered what it was like during Dragoon form, bigger and more grandiose in every aspect, and the eagle had become a golden dragon, roaring its fury to his foes.  
  
Rayen slid the sword back in its sheath, opened the door and started to walk down the stairs. He smelled something cooking in the kitchen, and he suddenly realized something. He was hungry. No, I mean REALLY hungry. Since his shift at work was at 6, he hadn't had time to fix himself a very filling dinner. The snack he had after he came home had done nothing to curb his hunger.  
  
Rayen walked into the kitchen and let out a low whistle. There were about a dozen plates stacked high with pancakes, French toast, bacon, hash browns, and many other dishes. His father was there waiting for him. He smiled at Rayen's awed face.  
  
"I thought you might be hungry."  
  
"Thanks, Dad."  
  
Rayen grabbed the bottle of apple juice from the fridge and poured himself a glass. Getting some of everything, (except the eggs, Rayen hated eggs) he sat down and started eating like a half-starved animal. Mr. O'Connor chuckled. Rayen stopped to breathe (hey, give the guy a break, he's 17), swallowed, took a long sip of apple juice, then turned to his father.  
  
"You going back to work today?"  
  
"Nope. One of the reasons I stayed so late yesterday."  
  
"Good."  
  
Rayen resumed shoveling the food down his esophagus. His father chuckled again, then sat down and filled his own plate. They spent the morning eating and talking, all their worries and cares seemingly miles away.  
  
Meanwhile in the sixty-somethingth floor of some huge skyscraper---  
  
A man sat at a huge mahogany desk, signing an important document of some kind. There was a knock on the door. The man looked up in irritation.  
  
"Come in."  
  
"Sir, we've just gotten word that Corain and his group of specimens have been killed."  
  
"Corain? Too bad, I liked the man. He was so willing to have himself turned into something inhuman. Must have believed he would gain power. He did, but it was obviously not enough. Where'd his portal open?"  
  
"In a suburb about 45 miles west of here."  
  
"I see. So either someone in that area has some very high firepower, or our esteemed psychics were correct in their prediction of the return of the Dragoons."  
  
"Excuse me, sir, but don't you find this prediction of the future a little unbelievable?"  
  
"Their mental prowess was created by the same magic that changed Corain into the blue monstrosity. I think we can trust their visions."  
  
"Sir, the scientists prefer to call it-"  
  
"I could not care less what the scientists call it."  
  
"Yes, sir. What should we do about the psychics?"  
  
"Arrange for them to pass away in their sleep. Messing with the future is a risky business."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"One more thing. Send headhunters (not the kind you're thinking of, the kind that go out and search for people who need jobs) all over the continent, asking about Dragoons. If you find any, hire them immediately. Make them an offer they can't refuse."  
  
"Yes, sir. Would it do me any good to ask why?"  
  
"No."  
  
The man swiveled around in his chair to look out the window. The assistant stood there, perplexed. The man turned around and gave the assistant an irritated glance.  
  
"What are you waiting for? Now!"  
  
"Yes, sir!"  
  
He opened the door and hurried out. The man at the desk returned to the view, contemplating his next move.  
  
  
  
The plot thickens... 


	5. An Unpleasant Surprise

Chapter 5  
  
The clash of swords filled the auditorium.  
  
Phil Jackson stood watching the two figures slashing and stabbing at each other. It was his friend Rayen's Saturday swordsmanship class, and he was there, like always, to watch before he and Rayen went back to hang out and do whatever they felt like. But today was different in many aspects. Rayen's fighting, first of all. Phil had never seen Rayen fight like this. He was good, but today he was incredible.  
  
There was also the new sword. Phil had never seen it before. Perhaps he had gotten it yesterday as a belated birthday present from an aunt or something. But that sword looked like it cost a fortune. Phil wondered who would spend that much money on a thing like that for someone's birthday. But he put these questions out of his mind and watched the fight.  
  
Phil was correct in thinking Rayen had never fought like this before. Rayen had never felt such a cold conciousness in battle. His mind was ahead of his body, determining the time and place to strike so quickly his arms couldn't keep up. His new blade snapped left, right, down, up, spun, feinted, and thrust so quickly his opponent had to spent all his time blocking instead of pressing an attack of his own. One hit, two, four, six... Rayen lost count, he was moving too fast.  
  
Eventually Rayen's opponent had to duck and roll over to avoid losing his stomach. Rayen had not expected this, and it gave his adversary a chance to attack. The stroke was a clumsy one, however, and Rayen responded by hooking his blade behind his assailant's crosspieces. With a twist of his wrist, Rayen sent his opponent's sword flying from his hand. His opponent, unarmed, raised his hands in surrender.  
  
"Alright, that's enough. Time's up for today. Be ready for next Saturday, same time, same place," the instructor intoned over the group of fencers.  
  
Phil and Rayen walked out of the auditorium.  
  
"Damn! You were a machine back there!"  
  
Rayen nodded. This state of mind, he thought, was surely another after- effect of his Dragoon-hood. Rayen wasn't altogether sure he liked it. It seemed almost bloodthirsty the way his mind knew what to do before he did it. Did he really want to become a killer?  
  
As the disembodied voice of Dart Field had told him, he really didn't have much choice. Perhaps 'killer' was too strong a word. The monsters he had fought had attacked him first. Besides, if the voice he heard in his dream was any guide, it seemed all too likely that war would break out. Killing people during war was not considered a crime, just duty. Maybe he was being too hard on himself.  
  
As if Phil could read Rayen's mind, he suddenly spoke.  
  
"Hey, why don't you ditch work today and we can go screw around for the rest of the day?"  
  
"Works for me. I've never used any of my vacation days, I've got two weeks of credit. Hand me a phone."  
  
Phil handed him his cell phone and Rayen called his boss and told him he was taking the day off. Then he got in the car and stashed his sword in the back seat.  
  
"So, what should we do?  
  
"How about we go see some super-gory movie my mom would never let us see if she was still alive? I got my paycheck yesterday, I could buy the tickets and snacks and junk."  
  
"Works for me!"  
  
Phil drove them to the nearest movie theater, and they got out. Rayen shoved his sword under the back seat, in case someone decided to go window shopping in the parking lot. They paid for tickets and went in. Once inside, they immediately headed to the snack bar, where they bought as much popcorn, soda, and candy as they could carry and went off to the movie.  
  
About two hours later (I'm not going to describe the movie, it would take too long and this story's violent enough as it is), Rayen and Phil came out of the theater laughing.  
  
"Damn, I didn't know a guy's head could explode like that!"  
  
"It probably can't."  
  
"Good point."  
  
Rayen checked his watch.  
  
"It's past 5:30. What do you want to do now?"  
  
"We could go grab a pizza. There's a place nearby that's good and has a pretty big arcade too."  
  
"Sure, as long as you buy the pizza and soda. We can split the game cost."  
  
"Sounds fair to me."  
  
So they pulled out of the parking lot and drove over to the pizza parlor.  
  
They walked inside and ordered at the counter. In a few minutes, a steaming hot pizza (pepperoni) was dropped off at their table. They filled up their soda and ate, even though they had all those snacks at the movie theater (damn, the sugar high these guys must be on makes me bounce, and all I'm doing is writing about it). After they finished, they walked over to the arcade section. Rayen let out a low whistle. A gigantic arcade, complete with dart boards and an air hockey table, were laid out before them.  
  
Yes folks, pizza, soda, and video games; a teenage boy's heaven on earth. They each got five bucks worth of change and headed for the air hockey table.  
  
"See, wasn't this a good idea?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Rayen couldn't chance a longer response, he was losing badly. Phil was much better than he was at air hockey. He blocked a shot, but Phil returned the puck with a vicious backhand that sent the disc bouncing of the walls and into Rayen's goal for Phil's tenth and final goal. He grinned. Rayen merely jerked his thumb toward the arcade games.  
  
Meanwhile, back at the big skyscraper from the last chapter...  
  
"Have the scientists identified the energy signature taken from the recorders where Corain died?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Good. Have them program it into the tracer and give it to our agent."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
The assistant left. The man at the mahogany desk mused to himself once he was alone once more.  
  
"Another potential annoyance dealt with. There will be more, to be sure, but we will deal with them when the time comes."  
  
(If you're expecting the usual diabolical laugh here, you're out of luck. Sorry.)  
  
A few hours later, Phil examined his watch as best he could while holding off Rayen's furious assault.  
  
"Hey, it's getting pretty late. What do you say we head back to my place and crash for the night."  
  
"OK."  
  
Rayen pushed a few buttons, and his character executed a fantastic 37- hit combo that sent Phil's character flying off the screen. He laughed at Phil's amazed expression.  
  
"$%&#! How the hell did you do that?"  
  
"Payback for the air hockey match."  
  
Phil grumbled as they left. They got in the car, and Rayen checked to see if his sword was still in the back seat. Satisfied, they left for Phil's house.  
  
Meanwhile, the agent stood on the sidewalk of another street. He examined the tracer. He saw the direction their car was headed. He knew the area well enough from the maps he had read to know which way they were going. He instructed the crews where to place the road blocks, then handed them a handful of bills.  
  
Phil and Rayen drove down one of the streets towards Phil's home.  
  
"This street seems awfully deserted."  
  
"Yeah. You'd think there'd be more people out on a Saturday night."  
  
They came to the intersection. Phil turned right, only to encounter a road block.  
  
"Damn!"  
  
"Take the left fork. We'll go the long way around."  
  
They turned around and drove to the left fork, only to discover that it was blocked as well.  
  
"#$%^&#% road contruction!"  
  
They doubled back. They got to the intersection, then Phil slammed on the brakes. There was a figure in their headlights.  
  
"Sweet mother of Soa the Creator," Phil breathed.  
  
Rayen looked up, distracted. He instantly snapped to attention when he saw the figure.  
  
In their headlights stood a Jade Dragoon, a heavy spiked mace at his side.  
  
Rayen swore and reached into the back for his sword and into his pocket for the Dragoon Spirit, which gleamed eagerly.  
  
He had a feeling it was going to be a long night. 


	6. Emerald and Ruby

Whoo! First Dragoon fight! I like these, they're fun to write. This one's pretty short, but the others will be better, I promise.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Rayen opened the car door and stepped out. He drew his sword and pointed it at the Jade Dragoon with the mace.  
  
"Who are you? What do you want?"  
  
"Why waste your breath with a question like that? You know as well as I do I was sent to find you."  
  
"Then I shall rephrase my question. Who sent you, and why did they send you?"  
  
The man shrugged.  
  
"How should I know. All I was told was that I would receive a great deal of money for your head, whether it be attached to your body or not."  
  
Rayen swore. This man was a simple mercenary, he couldn't tell him anything of use. Well, it was clear enough his Dragoon-hood was no longer a secret. He wasn't safe here anymore. If he survived this battle, he would have to leave home. He decided not to worry about that now and focus on the task at hand.  
  
He pulled the Dragoon Spirit out of his pocket, held it at arms length, and let go. As it had in the first battle, the Spirit remained suspended in midair. With a flash, it imbedded itself in Rayen's chest. The familiar flames spread around his body and hardened into the red armor. The wings formed on his back, and his sword was cocooned in flame before becoming the larger sword he had used in the first battle.  
  
The Jade Dragoon unhooked the mace from his side.  
  
"Very well, let's get this over with."  
  
He charged. Rayen was ready. He pushed off the ground hard with his legs, then dove downward and slashed with his sword, intending to slice off the man's arm. But his opponent appeared prepared for this move, and he turned around and blocked Rayen's strike with the handle of his mace. With his free hand, he grabbed Rayen's arm and flung him hard to the right.  
  
Rayen had not expected this. His back hit the ground hard, but he wasn't hurt too badly. He quickly placed his hands on the ground behind him, flipped himself into the air, flared his wings, and landed with both feet on the ground. This time, it was his turn to charge. He flew forward, and right before he was in range of his adversary's mace, he planted his feet, pushed himself into the air, landed behind his enemy, turned around, and slammed his knee into his opponent's back.  
  
The Jade Dragoon stumbled forward a few steps and groaned. Rayen took this chance to aim another slash at the man's neck, but his opponent again turned around and blocked it with his mace. Then his assailant countered with such a vicious swing of his own that Rayen had to propel himself backwards to avoid losing his rib cage.  
  
Now Rayen began to have serious doubts. He hesitated once he regained his balance. This man was obviously experienced, or at least well-trained. His sword had become useless on the offensive, all he could do with it was stop his enemy's attacks. This was turning out to be more than he had bargained for.  
  
Phil Jackson sat in the car, staring with awe at the two figures dressed in gleaming armor. It seemed so unreal, to have the Dragoons return after more than a thousand years. To think that one of them would be his best friend! Yet, the more that Phil thought about it, the more it made sense. The new sword, the way he fought at practice earlier today, even the way he seemed troubled after the lesson, as though he didn't know he could do it and now that he knew he didn't like it; it all fit. The facts were there, and Phil knew it.  
  
The two Dragoons returned to the fight, dodging and weaving, slashing and clubbing. Although to a casual onlooker it might have seemed like a stalemate, Rayen was in reality losing badly. The man was bigger than he was, and more experienced. His main weapon was reduced to a defensive necessity for survival. He needed to do something quick.  
  
He racked his brain for memories of his first battle, then he heard Dart Field's voice in his head. Of course, the magic! He had not been in control of his body when he cast the first spell, so he had forgotten about it in the adrenaline rush of the first round of battle. Well, he remembered it now. Keeping Dart's advice in mind, he focused the fire into an orb, not too unlike the one Dart had made himself in the first battle, and hurled it at his foe.  
  
The effect was tremendous. His opponent had to roll over in midair to avoid the projectile. Rayen caught sight of his opponent's face. He would swear later that the man's eyes had nearly bulged out of his head. He stared at Rayen, dumbfounded, and Rayen realized the effect was more psychological than physical. The next thought hit him like a lightning bolt; his opponent couldn't use magic!  
  
The tables had turned now. Rayen had a weapon, a weapon more effective than his opponent's spiked mace would ever be. He sheathed his sword; he wouldn't be needing it anymore. He let loose a barrage of flares and flames, sending his opponent dodging and rolling, all the time getting within range of causing some real damage. He saw his chance, and struck. He punched upward, hitting his rival on the bottom part of the jaw.  
  
The Jade Dragoon's head snapped backwards, but as he had done before, he grabbed Rayen's fist and flung him into the air, clearly meaning to bash his skull in. But Rayen was too quick for that. His arms were at too high of an angle to punch again, so Rayen focused as much heat as he could into his foot and lashed out viciously to the side of his foe's face. The man's skin blackened, he howled in pain. In one fluid motion, Rayen drew his sword and rammed it through the Jade Dragoon's chest.  
  
Both fighters dropped to the ground. Unlike his other opponents, this one did not disappear. He bled there, his ribs broken, his organs writhing in agony until they ultimately stopped. Rayen would never forget the sight of that body. He calmly walked over to the sidewalk, bent over, and was violently sick.  
  
He stood back up and wiped his mouth. The Dragoon Spirit on his chest shone once again; the armor disappeared. He sheathed his sword and pocketed his Dragoon Spirit. He looked back at the body; it was his first kill (as far as he was concerned, the monsters didn't count). He was not proud. He never would be.  
  
He walked over to the body and picked up the emerald that lay in a pool of blood.  
  
"Hey Phil! Catch."  
  
He tossed his friend the gem. Phil, caught off guard, reached into the air and grabbed it. It began to shine brightly. Rayen almost smiled with the irony. He wouldn't be alone. He would have someone to drag into the horror with him. He walked over to the car, drew his sword, and touched the emerald with its steel point.  
  
"Spirit of the Jade Dragon. Awaken." 


	7. Follow the Monsters

Author's Note: Yeah. I've got two things to say on the events of the last chapter. First of all, the rating. I rated it PG-13 for a reason. In the last chapter, it has finally lived up to those reasons. When I said 'possible violence', I meant in the first chapters. From here on, you can COUNT on violence and a lot more of it too. You also may have noticed that there is a fair amount of swearing. That contributed to the rating as well. That will not decrease as the fic goes on either.  
  
Now for thing number 2: for those of you who didn't get the general idea (although I felt I illustrated the point quite well), Phil is the new Jade Dragoon. This means that there will be more funniness (yes, I know that isn't a real word) in the fic from now on, because the two guys will rag on each other. Because that's what friends do. I know humor isn't listed as one of the genres, but I would think it would make the story more enjoyable to read if I dropped some humor into the fic here and there.  
  
OK, author's rant over. No more talking from me. At least until next chapter. (diabolical laughter) OK, enough of that. Moving on...  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Rayen and Phil were done explaining to Mr. and Mrs. Jackson about the events relating to their new occupation (to put it lightly). Although they were undoubtedly shocked at the beginning, Rayen thought they were now taking it quite well. When Rayen related to the previous night's encounter, they did not try to dissuade them from leaving home. They tried to remain in a positive outlook on the matter, happy at least that they would not be alone. Rayen did not share their optimism, but he felt no need to make his comrade's parents worry more than they were already.  
  
As soon as they were done talking, Rayen used the Jackson's phone to call his father.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Dad, it's me. Look, I need you to call the school and tell them I'm getting a transfer. Then call the record store and submit my resignation, with my regrets. Phil and I are going to have to skip town. I fought with a hired Dragoon last night. Someone around here wants us dead. Or at least they wanted me dead, but they'll want him now too, because he got the dead man's Dragoon Spirit."  
  
"Right. I'll take care of that. Make sure you come home before you leave, alright?"  
  
"Of course. We're gonna spend the rest of the day here, and leave in the evening."  
  
"Even better."  
  
"Alright then. We'll be there around 5."  
  
Rayen hung up. He motioned to Phil. They went out into the backyard. The Jackson family had a small guesthouse that would serve their purpose. The furniture littered the lawn. They didn't want obstacles getting in their way; they needed an enclosed, open space.  
  
As Rayen had learned at the pivotal moment in Saturday's battle, magic was the one thing that gave them an advantage over their enemies. Rayen pointed out that this advantage would be much greater if both of them had the power at their disposal. The voice of Dart had told him in the dream that commanding magic took months of study for most cases, but Rayen had a feeling it would take much less time with some hands-on experience. Thus, the need for the guesthouse.  
  
Rayen and Phil spent the next few hours exploring the subject of magic. Rayen explained everything he had learned in the dream, and also told Phil what magic should feel like if done correctly. He went over the new process of magic use, and how to bend the magic to your will. He explained that a Dragoon had to reach not inside, but outside oneself to find the magic. Because the magic stemmed from the elements, the magic was everywhere.  
  
When the time limit on their transformations expired, they would take breaks and spar until they had built up enough energy to use the spirits again. After three hours of work, Phil was able to create a small whirlwind that danced across the floor, scattering the dust. Two hours later, this whirlwind evolved into an invisible gust of wind so powerful it caught Rayen's wings and hurled him backwards. He had to flare his wings backwards and dig his heels into the floor to avoid slamming into the wall. They had done it; the barrier was broken.  
  
They had also made another discovery, although this one quite by accident. When Rayen was demonstrating how magic would not work outside of Dragoon form, he found (to his great surprise) that he could use magic without the Dragoon armor! It was much weaker and expended the same amount of mystical energy, but it was still a useful skill to have at their time of need. Rayen reasoned that as their physical strength grew, their magical strength would grow as well. One day, they might be able to cast powerful magic even when not in Dragoon form.  
  
After the work was finally finished, they drove over to Rayen's house as instructed. When they reached the suburban home, they found the driveway was already occupied by a large motorhome. That was odd, Rayen thought. As far as he knew, his father wasn't expecting any visitors. With the driveway taken, they pulled up to the curb.  
  
His father was sitting in the armchair reading the paper. He looked up when they came in the door.  
  
"Welcome back, boys."  
  
"Hey Dad, what's with the RV?"  
  
"Hm? Oh, that. It's yours."  
  
"Ours?"  
  
"Yes. I bought it from a used dealership. It has a stove, an oven, a refrigerator, freezer, a shower, bathroom, and a fire extinguisher."  
  
Rayen and Phil exchanged glances.  
  
"Wow, Dad. This is a big deal."  
  
"Now all we need is a TV!"  
  
"Took care of that too. Got a new set for myself and installed the old one in there. I also moved your computer in there. Got mobile Web access for you, and DSL. I had you uncle install some solar panels, so they supply all the electricity you'll need. You have a water purifier, so all you'll need to get is food and water for the showers, faucets, and bathroom."  
  
"You thought of everything, didn't you?"  
  
"Been planning it ever since Friday night. I knew you'd need to leave home eventually. Make sure you drop me an email occasionally, OK?"  
  
"Thanks, Dad. I guess we'd better be going now."  
  
Rayen wanted to say more, but he couldn't find the words. He went upstairs and packed everything he wanted to take (Phil had already stashed his things in the RV). With one last goodbye, they pulled out of the driveway and onto the road.  
  
"So, where to?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious? Follow the monsters."  
  
They looked darkly at each other, even though Phil should have been paying more attention to his driving. They had both seen the news that morning. Monsters had appeared several miles from their town, wreaking havoc, and evading the authorities. No one had any idea where they came from, but the media had a field day, making a crisis over the incident, which Rayen and Phil both knew that it had a good chance of becoming if something wasn't done. Both believing there was a force behind it, they decided to trace it to the source.  
  
They drove for about an hour before coming to a small, squat, inconspicuous building. They got out of the car and grabbed their weapons. They moved stealthily up to the building. They turned the corner, and suddenly founded the tips of two swords at their throats.  
  
"You move, you die." 


	8. Project Shade

Chapter 8  
  
When we last left our heroes (cliché, I know, but I've always wanted to say it), they had swords at their throats. So... yeah. They still do. Moving on.  
  
Rayen examined the swords as best he could without moving his neck. The one on the assailant's right was up to his throat. It was a short, serrated blade, obviously meant to deal as much damage to armor or skin as possible. The one in the mysterious figure's left hand was up to Phil's windpipe and much longer and thinner, with crosspieces that were swept forward. Odd design for a weapon, Rayen mused, especially one used in an off hand, for the shadowy character obviously favored his right.  
  
Rayen dropped his own weapon and raised his hands. This obviously did not pertain to the other's definition of 'moving', for Rayen's throat remained intact.  
  
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?"  
  
"I was just about to ask you the same question."  
  
"I escaped from the building back there."  
  
"Were you being held hostage?"  
  
"In case you haven't noticed, I'm the one with the swords against your throats. I think I'll ask the questions."  
  
"Fine with me. We followed the monster trail here."  
  
"Why? Do you plan on getting killed?"  
  
"No. We have the power to defeat these monsters. We were looking for them around here."  
  
"Well, you found one."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Right in front of you."  
  
"You mean..."  
  
The figure stepped into the lights of the building. He looked conspicuous, although he seemed like an ordinary human being. What gave him away was that he was covered in black clothing from head to toe, that of a martial artist or a ninja, tied with a night-blue sash. His face was completely covered except for his deep brown eyes that somehow exuded an aura of coldness. He unwrapped the cloth that covered his face, and Rayen had to repress a gag. The man's face was wrecked and distorted, so out of shape that one could barely tell it had once belonged to a human being. He wrapped his head back up once more, and continued.  
  
"Yes. They captured me. They spent days bombarding me with strange lights and sounds that changed me, I don't know how. I was their guinea pig, their experiment gone wrong! They made an abomination out of me; I am no longer human. They were quick to apologize once the Dragoon Spirit reacted to me, of course. They promised me wealth and power. I had gained power enough from their torture, and wealth interested me no longer. I destroyed them all with my newfound strength, and the monsters broke free in the ensuing struggle."  
  
"Revenge is a food that appeases the senses but not the appetite. One who partakes of it does everything they can to get more, until the lust for it consumes them and they care for nothing else. One cannot live on revenge."  
  
The man stared hard at Rayen for this response, but did not answer. Phil spoke up.  
  
"Do you have a name?"  
  
"Not anymore, now that I am no longer human. But they (Rayen had never heard so much loathing concentrated in one word before) called me Project Shade."  
  
"Shade, huh? Why not call you Shadow?"  
  
"There was a Project Shadow before me. He... was not as fortunate as I."  
  
Rayen and Phil could not understand how under any circumstances Shade could consider himself lucky. Rayen felt a sudden revulsion towards the people who had done this. The fact that they could do this to other human beings violated the sacred laws of creation. Something had to be done, and since they were the only ones who knew, it would obviously have to be them.  
  
"Why don't you travel with us? We're all Dragoons, we would work better together, since we all seem to be after the same thing."  
  
"I will not travel with people weaker than myself."  
  
"Let me guess. That means one of us has to defeat you in combat, right?"  
  
Shade nodded. Rayen sighed.  
  
"This is so much like a video game it's almost scary."  
  
"Video game characters don't drive motorhomes," Phil pointed out.  
  
"True enough. I guess I'll go at it, then."  
  
Rayen drew his sword. They stood a few feet apart. Shade gripped both his weapons.  
  
"Alright, here are the rules. You lose when you are either disarmed or when your opponent has his weapon against some vital point, like the heart or throat. This is hand-to-hand combat, no Dragoons, no magic. Got it?"  
  
"Seems simple enough."  
  
"Good."  
  
After that last word, Shade lunged. Rayen parried the serrated blade and dodged the longer one. Shade was extremely fast, and Rayen began to feel hard-pressed very early. He had to do a number of defensive spins and sweeps to avoid being counterbalanced by his opponent's speed and dual weapon tactics. He dodged and strafed. Eventually he got a chance to press an attack of his own.  
  
Rayen slashed and stabbed, keeping Shade hopping to block every strike. Eventually he attacked with an overhead strike, and instead of blocking it, Shade caught the blade in the crosspieces of his longer weapon. Now Rayen knew the purpose of the weapon's strange design; it was made for weapon trapping! With Rayen's arm at such a high angle, all Shade had to do was wrench his arm upwards to send the sword flying from Rayen's grasp.  
  
The sword was still in the air, and had not landed out of Rayen's reach, so he had not lost yet. He did the only thing that came to mind; he lashed out with his foot in a vicious kick that connected square with Shade's chest. As the ninja stumbled backwards, Rayen caught his sword out of the air. He lunged forward, and as Shade brought his right sword up to parry, Rayen tried a little weapon trapping with his own weapon. He hooked the point around one of the serrated ridges, and with a flick of his wrist, sent the weapon into his waiting left hand. He tossed it backwards as far as he could, to discourage the illusion that his adversary could attempt to retrieve it.  
  
Shade did not appear to entertain that illusion however, because he switched his longer blade to his right hand and swung the blade with a slash that sent Rayen jumping backwards. Rayen parried the next slashes, then decided to use the weapon's own design against it. He waited until Shade thrusted, then caught the forward-swept crosspieces perpendicularly with the eagle's wing of his own blade. He pushed his blade upward, until it stopped right in front of Shade's throat. Shade could not turn aside Rayen's weapon without use of his own. He dropped the blade into the grass. The battle was over; Rayen had won.  
  
Rayen sheathed his sword, and held out his hand. Shade grasped it, and they shook. Shade retrieved his weapons from the grass, then they both headed over to the RV. Phil was waiting in the driver's seat the whole time, and even decided to inject some humor into the atmosphere by microwaving a bowl of popcorn while he watched. As they entered the mobile home, he grinned.  
  
"Better than a 3 Musketeers flick. Where to?"  
  
"Northwest."  
  
"Why northwest?"  
  
Shade said nothing in reply, just stared at the Jade Dragoon with his hard brown eyes.  
  
"Just do it, Phil. He obviously knows more about this than we do."  
  
"Alright. Where we headed?"  
  
"Fletz."  
  
"Fletz? As in, the Twin Castle?"  
  
"There's only one Fletz."  
  
"Alright then..."  
  
Still doubtful, Phil pulled onto the road and headed towards the highway that would take them to the Twin Castle. 


	9. On the Road

Author's Note: Shame on me, I have forgotten to thank my reviewers! As of today I have had 17 reviews (the one I posted doesn't count, I REALLY wish I could get rid of it), and they have all been positive feedback! Yay! Although the good majority of said reviews were posted by two people (DarkDragonX, with 4, and Aerena, with 8, one for each chapter. O_o), I do appreciate everyone's encouragement. There is nothing wrong with multiple reviews from one user, don't get me wrong. You could post 100 reviews and I would read them all, although I would be a bit confused as to why you wrote that much. So, thanks! Yeah. Moving on...  
  
Chapter 9  
  
"There's another special on TV about the monsters."  
  
"Yeah, what else is new? They haven't left the issue alone for 10 minutes since the breakout yesterday."  
  
"That statistic is probably fairly close to the truth, actually."  
  
"Hey Shade, do you know how many monsters escaped during the breakout?"  
  
"68, not including myself."  
  
"How many have they caught?"  
  
"19 so far. The rest have escaped and hidden out in secluded areas, according to reports."  
  
"Which means there are 49 of them left..."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"When I was in the back, they said that something bizarre happened when the beasts died that would be revealed on their 'special'. They said it yet?"  
  
"No, but I know what it is. I saw it during my time in the lab. You fought monsters before, right? Remember how they faded out of the air?"  
  
Rayen remembered, so he nodded.  
  
"Well, they found out that the monsters have an unusual amount of gold molecules in their structure. When their bodies disassemble themselves, which is what is actually happening when they seem to disappear, those molecules condense and become gold nuggets."  
  
"Seriously? How much?"  
  
"Depends on the size of the monster and how many molecules they have. At first, the scientists thought they could make a fortune by creating monsters and then killing them for gold. Then they realized that between research costs, and the cost of the firepower to actually kill the things, their profit margin would be actually fairly low."  
  
"But it helps us. We'll get all the money we need just by doing what we're going to do anyway."  
  
"True. Except now there will be a number of amateur glory-seekers trying to earn a quick buck by grabbing the gold, and they'll end up getting killed."  
  
"Damn. I hadn't thought about that."  
  
Phil chose this time to interrupt, by yelling towards the back from the driver's seat.  
  
"Hey, we're coming up to a town. We should probably go stop for supplies."  
  
He was right. The drive to Fletz, which lay on the western side of Serdio, from their town, right about in the middle, was long and would probably take several more days. They needed to buy food to last them to their next stop. It was getting late; this was their best stop, as there might not be another one for a while. Rayen and Shade nodded. Phil turned onto the nearest highway exit and onto the city streets.  
  
"So, what do you say we go out to eat tonight?"  
  
"I eat in solitude. Let's face it; I would attract a little too much attention."  
  
Rayen considered that. Shade was pretty conspicuous just with his clothing, but he would have to remove the strips of cloth that served as a mask to shroud his mutated visage. That would cause too many questions that couldn't be answered. Plus, there might be some people on the abroad searching for him. Rayen nodded.  
  
"Alright then, we'll go out. You can get the groceries. We'll make a list; you can add anything you want, I'm not sure what you eat."  
  
"Fine. I will also see if I can relieve some of our financial difficulties as well."  
  
"You mean hunting monsters? Can you find them?"  
  
"Easily enough."  
  
"OK then."  
  
Phil dropped Shade off at the grocery store, and then he drove down the streets until they found a restaurant that looked good. They pulled into the parking lot and stopped the car. Phil left his spear in the car, but Rayen took his sword and both pocketed their Dragoon Spirits, should trouble arise. They walked through the revolving doors and sat down until they were given a table.  
  
Rayen noticed when sitting down that they were attracting a great deal of stares, the majority of which he was sure were not pleasant. The waitress, a girl who appeared to be about their age, came to their table, took their orders, and left. Rayen shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He was sure now that a good deal of the other customers didn't want them around. He wondered if Phil noticed this, and he gave his friend a questioning look. Phil's face remained blank, however; he obviously hadn't noticed.  
  
The waitress came back and gave them their food. She looked at them in a way Rayen couldn't decipher. He wondered if she shared the other customer's feelings. He decided to put it out of his mind. So they weren't universally popular. What else was new? They both dug into their food with a voracious appetite.  
  
After dessert, Rayen suddenly felt extremely fatigued. He must have been more worn out than he thought. He had stayed up late last night. He always had trouble sleeping in a moving car. Without a second thought, Rayen laid his head on the table and fell asleep. Moments later, although he wasn't awake to see it, Phil fell asleep as well.  
  
After the restaurant closed, and they were sure the drugged food had taken full effect, several of the local customers got up from their tables and dragged the two sleeping bodies into the back room of the kitchen. 


	10. A Different Kind of Dawn

Chapter 10  
  
Phil stirred groggily. He opened his eyes, and found himself staring at a tile floor. He looked to his left and saw Rayen propped up against the wall, bound and still sleeping. He tried to move his own arms and found that they were tied as well. Not a problem; he could break them easily. He looked up, and found himself staring at the barrel of a revolver, pointed straight at his forehead.  
  
"Try anything funny and I'll blow your brains out."  
  
"Déjà vu," Phil muttered.  
  
He recognized the figure holding the gun as the waitress from the restaurant earlier. He wondered how long he'd been out, and if Shade had suspected anything. Meanwhile, the waitress reached down and slashed at the ropes with a knife, still keeping the gun at his head.  
  
"Why the hell did you drug us?"  
  
"As if you don't know."  
  
"Enlighten me. I guess those drugs must have gone to my head."  
  
"Don't act smart with me. I know you're both with them."  
  
"With who?"  
  
"Quit acting. You're with the group that's been taking them."  
  
"Taking who?"  
  
"The people from our town. The ones that were taken away and never came back."  
  
That would explain the almost open hostility from the local customers.  
  
"Aren't we a little young to be kidnappers?"  
  
"Who else would carry a weapon into a public restaurant? All of them had one, although they were mostly guns."  
  
Rayen's sword lay propped up against the far wall, far out of their reach. They had been overly cautious, and it had come back to bite them. Well, he wasn't going to give away the truth.  
  
"Why exactly should I tell you anything? You won't gain anything by killing me."  
  
"Your friend might be a little more talkative if he sees your skull in pieces when he wakes up."  
  
Phil was getting sick of listening to this. He reached up and grabbed the barrel of the gun, bending it until it pointed upwards at a perfect 90 degree angle.  
  
"Always wanted to do that. Just like they do in the comic books."  
  
Without hesitation, the girl brought the handle of the gun down hard onto the top of his head. Phil got angry. He reached up, grabbed her wrist, and jerked his arm to the left. The girl teetered for a moment, lost her balance, and fell right on top of the sleeping Rayen, who awoke with a start.  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
She got up hastily, seething with indignation. Rayen assessed the situation quickly. Judging by the malevolent glare the waitress was casting towards his friend, who was rolling on the ground, his chest heaving with bouts of raucous laughter, he had a feeling he knew who to blame.  
  
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"  
  
Phil was too busy laughing hysterically to answer vocally; he merely nodded as best he could before bursting into a new spastic show of mirth. Rayen responded by venting his anger through a sharp kick to Phil's stomach as soon as he rolled within range. Due to the fact that he was not in Dragoon form, Phil was carried upwards by the sheer force of the blow, and he slammed into the wall about four feet off the ground, making a large indent in the plaster. Not particularly desiring to suffer a four foot drop onto a tile floor, Phil attempted to adhere himself to the wall by digging his fingers into the cracks in the plaster, thus initiating what would be a desperate struggle between he and the force of gravity.  
  
Gravity won.  
  
Phil fell onto the linoleum floor with a loud thump, except for his head, which made an unpleasant cracking noise; for Phil had hit the wall with his body parallel to it, which caused him to smack his skull on the tiled floor, thus the unpleasant noise. The blow rendered the Jade Dragoon unconscious. Rayen checked his friend's skull as best he could with his hands tied behind his back, and as soon as he was sure there was no serious damage (he now had actual proof his comrade did indeed have a thick skull), he sighed.  
  
"Well, at least he's quiet."  
  
"Are you with them?"  
  
"No. We actually have one of the people that was taken by 'them' with us. We are hunting 'them' down. Do you know what happens to the people they take away?"  
  
"No. We never knew."  
  
"You watched the news lately?"  
  
"Who hasn't, what with all those monsters running around?"  
  
"Some of those 'monsters' used to be people."  
  
"You're joking, and it's not funny."  
  
"I'm serious. Some of those probably came from this city."  
  
"Why should I believe you?"  
  
"Believe what you want, it makes no difference to me. But know this; you cannot cage me. I will not be contained. I have power far greater than any of those beasts the media has heralded as the doom of us all. My capability for destruction is limitless; I merely am not yet trained enough to use it all. You do not want me as your enemy. My wrath knows no mercy."  
  
He was not threatening, merely stating a fact. She scoffed, however. So Rayen felt he had to illustrate his point. He snapped the ropes that bound his arms without effort. He got up and walked over to the wall to retrieve his sword. When she tried to intervene, threatening to use the gun as a club again, he merely wrenched the weapon from her hand, snapped the handle off, and then tossed the two halves of the now useless firearm onto the floor. He shouldered his weapon, and shook the limp body of his comrade. Phil stirred and groaned.  
  
"We're going."  
  
"Wait! Are you really going after them?"  
  
"Yes. Although we don't actually know who 'they' are, we know what they do and we mean to stop them."  
  
"Take me with you."  
  
"Not a chance."  
  
"If you don't, I'll gather everyone in town, and we will blow you and your car to Kingdom Come."  
  
Of course, Rayen knew that they could attack them all they wanted and Kingdom Come would not be their destination, but it would destroy their vehicle, their supplies, and it would delay them immensely and make their journey a great deal more difficult. Besides, it would be unlikely that they would even be able to get out of town, because their Dragoon transformation would wear off eventually, and then they would be overwhelmed by sheer force of numbers. By looking at Phil he could tell the Jade Dragoon had reached that conclusion as well. They had no choice.  
  
"Fine, but don't expect us to look after you. Fight your own battles."  
  
"Did I ask you to fight for me?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then shut up. I can take care of myself."  
  
"Fair enough. By the way, you didn't tell us your name."  
  
"Dawn."  
  
When they had gotten back to the car and told Shade about the events, Dawn had found them. She had her luggage, which happened to include a rocket launcher, a few guns, and ammunition.  
  
"Well, there's something you don't see every day."  
  
"You said I had to fight my own battles, did you not?"  
  
"I did."  
  
"Well, here's my weapon."  
  
She shoved her luggage into Phil's arms. He did not appreciate being treated thusly, and therefore made a scathing rejoinder.  
  
"Typical role of a male before a road trip, eh? Stuck with the baggage."  
  
Dawn merely glared, and Phil shut up. Rayen thought that decision was the smartest one he had made all day.  
  
It was not wise to mock a girl with a rocket laucher. 


	11. Trouble on the Mountaintop

Chapter 11  
  
"So, how did you make out during our 'absence', Shade?"  
  
"I got the food. I bought enough to last three people five days, so with four people we should be able to get through three days."  
  
"That should get us to Fletz alright."  
  
"Fletz? You guys are going to Fletz?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
They were driving down a side street late at night, but no one really felt like going to sleep yet. There weren't even other cars on the road. A mountain loomed in the distance, roads spiraling up its rocky face. Phil was at the driver's seat, a styrofoam cup of coffee in the holder by his chair. Dawn was sitting in the front passenger's seat, and Rayen and Shade were sitting in the back, although they were all able to converse at once without difficulty.  
  
"I also did a little monster hunting during the night, which is why I never noticed you were gone until the morning."  
  
"How many?"  
  
"Five."  
  
Shade exhibited a cloth sack. It contained several nuggets of gold, about ten ounces all together, totaling more than three thousand dollars in worth.  
  
"Well, that should last us for a while."  
  
"Yeah, that could get- what the hell?"  
  
He jerked the wheel to the side, and the RV swerved away as a black shape hurtled past them, catching the headlights for just a moment before passing out of their vision.  
  
"Shade, you've got better eyes than we do. What was that thing?"  
  
"A monster. I recognize it."  
  
Shade looked out the passenger side window. He turned around and addressed the group.  
  
"There are about a dozen heading through the trees. They're all headed in the same direction, towards the mountain."  
  
"Almost as if they were rallying or something. Should we check it out?"  
  
"Why not? If nothing else, we'll get some exercise and a chance to make a quick buck."  
  
"I doubt it will be that simple, Phil."  
  
But they all agreed to take a look. Phil pulled onto the road that would take them up the peak. The creatures raced ahead of them, as if following a call. The group gathered their weapons and ammunition. Following the beasts up the winding paths, they eventually reached the summit. Phil stopped the car and they got out.  
  
This mountain was unusual. Both the beasts and the humans stood on a wide shelf of rock that surrounded the actual tip of the mountain. Rayen could not fathom how that could have happened geologically. The beasts were all staring raptly at the peak of the mountain. However, his train of thought was interrupted as all of the monsters (there were fourteen), suddenly snapped around and fixed their malicious gazes on the quartet. They readied their weapons as the abominations pounced.  
  
Dawn launched a rocket at a monster that leapt into the air, and each of the pieces that were sent in all directions by the resulting explosion turned to tiny gold nuggets before dropping to the rock shelf. Rayen beheaded an aberration just as Phil impaled another on the tip of his spear. Shade sawed open the stomach of one as he thrust his other weapon through another's neck. The pattern continued until all the monsters lay dead.  
  
"See, that was easy."  
  
But it was about to get a lot worse. Before their eyes, the summit of the crag began to move! Suddenly, boulders broke loose and fell down the slope, leaving a gigantic creature in their wake. It was the size of a small house, and it looked as if it were carved from the rocks that surrounded it, by an artist plagued with horrible nightmares. It stood erect, but its shoulders were slumped, and its arms, thick as a tree trunk, ended in three fingered hands with long claws. Three bulbous, misshapen eyes stared out at them from the deformed head, and there was no mouth that Rayen could see. He remembered a picture he had once seen in a book, and he knew that he was correct earlier; it wouldn't be that simple.  
  
"Fruit of the Divine Tree... it's a Virage!"  
  
That would explain the strange geology. The real top of this mountain was completely flat, whoever had put the Virage there must have taken off the real summit and imprisoned it in the rock where it had stayed until now, giving the illusion of a mountaintop. The Wingly-made unconformity shifted its appendages; as if surprised it could really use them, and then took a step that shook the ground beneath their feet.  
  
Dawn was the first to react. She launched several rockets in quick succession at various parts of the Virage's body. The beast took little notice of the resulting explosions. Dawn reloaded her weapon and fired all the ammo she had at the creature, and although it was definitely harmed, all the rockets seemed to do was anger it.  
  
Rayen, Phil, and Shade all looked at each other, nodded, and took out their Dragoon Spirits. Rayen was surrounded with flame, Phil with swirling wind, Shade with blots of black lightning. The magic emanating from the gemstones eventually metamorphosed into the winged Dragoon armor. The three Dragon Knights lauched themselves simultaneously at the Virage, and the battle begun.  
  
The three warriors weaved, dodged, slashed, thrusted, and bombarded the monster with magic. The monster endeavored to eliminate these winged aggrivations, attempting to swat them like flies. Phil was hit first. The Virage plucked him out of the air and threw him down onto the ground, where he landed so hard that a crater was made in the solid rock by the sheer force of the impact. Shade was grabbed by the other hand and squeezed until his dragon wings were snapped, and then was dropped to the ground, helpless. Then the beast reared up, and its smallest eye glowed. A blue beam shot forth, slamming into Rayen and forcing him backwards.  
  
The Virage swatted Rayen with its open hand. Pain exploded in his skull. It was like being his by an SUV going 120 miles per hour. He fell to the ground, and lost conciousness. The Virage bent over, and with one of its massive fingers, crushed Rayen's chest. Rayen's broken ribs punctured his lungs and heart.  
  
Rayen lay there, dead, blood seeping from his speared heart. 


	12. Renewed Hope

Chapter 12  
  
They each had different reactions when they saw it happen.  
  
Phil propped himself on his spear. When he saw his best friend's body, he was stunned. He had difficulty bringing himself to believe that Rayen had really died. Even when he had first become a Dragoon, after Rayen dueled the Jade Dragoon hired to kill them, he hadn't thought much about the danger. It didn't seem that they could ever be bested. The monsters were pathetic compared to them, and Rayen had shown that he could hold his own against another Dragoon.  
  
Shade felt a deep regret, and a firm resolve that he would find the strength to defeat this monstrosity that had slain his comrade, a person who had trusted him despite his questionable origins. If he had lived a little longer, Shade might have gone so far as to call him a friend, something Shade had not been priveleged enough to call anyone for a very long time. He stood up and gripped his blades. Though he could not fly, he would fight until he was crushed underfoot.  
  
Dawn, who knew Rayen even less than Shade, choked at the sight of the body. She immersed herself in sorrow, for Rayen, but also for Phil and Shade, for herself, and for her friends in the town. She felt sorrow for all the people of Serdio and the world, for who could stand up to the might of this thing now that the Dragoons had failed? Her green eyes brimmed with tears, her blonde hair fell in front of her face, but she didn't care. Her hands went instinctively towards the diamond pendant she wore on her neck, the last heirloom of her family, worn by her mother.  
  
She sat up in surprise and shock as the pendant began to glow with a fierce light. It floated up from her chest, and with another bright flash, the gold casing and chain fell away. The jewel stood suspended in the air, shining with a clear, pure light (bet you can all guess what's happening here by now, right?). It flashed again, and it covered her in its light. The light formed armor, made of pure silver, but lighter and harder than any kind of silver ever seen before. The light formed two dragon wings on her back, and a berdiche appeared in her hands, its head reflecting the light.  
  
The light danced around the mountain, making the midnight sky bright as day. Then the two other Dragoons witnessed an extrordiary transformation. Shade felt the bones of his wings knit in seconds, the leathery skin of his wings repaired itself. The pain in Phil's back virtually disappeared, the throbbing of his head lessened as well. Both of the Dragoons stood up, surging with renewed strength. Dawn flew up to them, and the three faced the Virage with grim determination.  
  
The Dragoons charged, as they had done the first time. The already wounded Virage could not compute, with its artificial brain, what had caused these beaten-down warriors to repeat their earlier efforts. But it fought back, punching, swatting, and using its strange magic eye with great effect, always keeping the Dragoons at bay. However, they now knew its tactics, and could avoid its huge hands without too much difficulty, they slowly whittled it down, but they were unsure if they could muster enough power to deal a finishing strike.  
  
Shade, with his overly-acute senses, suddenly began to feel a surge of warmth. He wondered where it could have come from. It was early in the morning, so early that the sun had not risen. Was it possible that they had driven and fought so long that the sun was rising? Or was it merely an after-effect of the brilliant healing light of Dawn's transformation?  
  
Phil felt the warmth too, but to him it was not a sudden surge, but a gradual increase. He put it down as an unfortunate side effect of his physical exertion, and pushed it to the back of his mind. He focused the power of his element, and created a huge whirlwind, which he hoped would force the beast of the mountain, where it would fall to its death. The Virage stumbled, but did not fall, and Phil was immediately hit by one of its brilliant azure eye beams. He was forced backwards by the magic barrage, and felt a much more unpleasant surge of heat than Shade.  
  
Dawn didn't feel the heat at all. She was caught up in her transformation. The light and power that surged through her blood was ecstacy, but she had a job to do. She cast a spell to heal Phil's damage from the eye beam, then pushed off the ground, her berdiche held above her head. The Dragoons pressed their attack, never giving an inch if they could possibly avoid it.  
  
The Virage let loose its last resort. Its body flashed a brilliant indigo, the force of the magic driving the airborne warriors to the summit of the mountain above which they fought. The Dragoons were paralyzed by this sudden outburst of magic. They could not get up off the ground. The Virage had them right where it wanted them. Phil strained against the magic, turned his head, and choked, thinking the flash of Wingly magic had taken away the usage of his lungs as well.  
  
Shade was right when he thought the heat was an after-effect of Dawn's transformation, but not quite in the way he meant. A gigantic fireball, the cause of the heat, shot forward like a missle and slammed into the Virage's chest with a tremendous explosion. The Virage teetered and fell off the mountain, dissolving into the air before crashing to the ground. In the fireball's wake stood Rayen, the force of his regained life flowing around him in almost palpable waves. His wound was gone, and if they hadn't seen it before, they wouldn't have believed it had been there.  
  
"How the hell did you manage to pull this one off?"  
  
"The transformation. I thought you would have figured that out. It healed me too, I just decided to lay low and wait for the right time."  
  
"Well, you did indeed pick the right time. We would have been toast."  
  
"So, shall we go?"  
  
Rayen stood there, smiling, as if they had done nothing more than taken a walk in the park. Phil walked over to his friend and punched him in the jaw. Rayen, still smiling, returned the favor by looping his foot around Phil's ankle and pushing him forward so he tripped and had to bear the shock of impact through his hands to avoid breaking his nose on the rocky summit of the mountain. All four walked smiling back to the motorhome (although you couldn't see Shade's), just grateful to be still alive.  
  
Author's Note: Yes, I found a way to kill the main character as a cliffhanger plot twist and bring him back next chapter. Sue me, he was too cool to stay dead.  
  
For those of you who don't know too much about weapons, a berdiche (Dawn's new weapon) is a medival polearm. It was a pretty popular weapon in medival foot soldier battles, because it could be used at arms length or in close combat. A good picture of a berdiche I found on the Internet is at http://www.greenapple.com/~walls/berdiche.html. I gave her that weapon because Shana and Miranda (no offense to their fans) really sucked in the original game (IMHO, their healing magic didn't make up for their horrible physical attacks or their lack of Additions). While we're on the subject of weapons, I have a question for you, esteemed readers...  
  
Poll: Did I do the right thing for the story by altering the weapons and the gender of the Dragoons? For example, did I make the right decision by making the Dark Dragoon (yes, Shade IS the Dark Dragoon) a man with dual short swords instead of a woman with a katana (like Rose)? Should I have left the Silver Dragoon with a bow instead of a two-handed polearm? I would appreciate all views given on this subject when you review this chapter. Thanks! 


	13. Secrets Revealed

Chapter 13  
  
"Hey Rayen, what was it like being dead?"  
  
"Let's put it this way. I'm glad I was only there for a few minutes."  
  
"Why? Were you burning in eternal torment?"  
  
"Hardly. There's just... nothing there. It's empty. Except for other spirits, of course. But there's every person that's ever died in there, and according to what I did hear, it can take years to find one that you can actually talk to."  
  
"So time passes in there?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Interesting."  
  
"Actually, it isn't. Trust me."  
  
It was the day after the battle with the Virage. Phil was driving, as usual, Shade and Dawn were watching TV, and Rayen was surfing the net.  
  
"I don't know, it would be kind of cool to talk to the Dragoons of the past."  
  
"Yeah, once I found them in another couple of dec... holy shit."  
  
"What?"  
  
Rayen merely pointed at the computer screen. Dawn and Shade got up and looked at the news article Rayen had found. It featured a large picture of a man in violet winged armor.  
  
"Don't even need to read it, do you?"  
  
"Let me guess. Some upstart glory hound got lucky and blew the secret, right?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"So the whole world knows Dragoons exist now?"  
  
"They will soon. I expect something will be on the television any minute now."  
  
As if on cue, a Breaking News update suddenly flashed by the TV.  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"Fletz."  
  
"Good, then we'll pay him a visit on the way. Why are we going to Fletz, anyway?"  
  
"I didn't ask."  
  
Dawn looked puzzled at this statement. Rayen gazed pointedly towards Shade. Realization flashed in Dawn's green eyes, and she nodded. Shade saw it, but said nothing. He didn't need to. Rayen shouted towards the driver's seat.  
  
"Hey Phil, how far are we from Fletz?"  
  
"Less than two days if we rotate drivers during the night. Let's just hope he doesn't skip town."  
  
"You joking? He's got all he'll ever want. Fame, money. The media will make a hero out of him."  
  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
  
Meanwhile, back at the huge skyscraper office...  
  
The executive sat at his mahogany desk, as always. The usual knock sounded at his door. He replied with his usual irritated admission of entrance. The person who entered was NOT his usual assistance. It was a black suited man with a briefcase. He tensed; something was up.  
  
"Mr. Trega, may I speak with you for a moment?"  
  
"Certainly."  
  
"I'm here investigating a suspicious financial dealing within your corporation. A twenty million dollar charge of the company's money under an unnamed category."  
  
Alarm bells went of in the confines of his brain. But he played dumb.  
  
"I see. Why are you coming to me with this and not the CEO or even the CFO, considering that they are in charge of such dealings?"  
  
"Well, I..."  
  
"Let me guess. You're coming to all three of us, trying to catch one or more in a lie. Correct?"  
  
"That was indeed my intention."  
  
"I see. Have you considered the possibility that it was merely a financial assistant making an unfortunate and costly mistake?"  
  
"That is, of course, what we are hoping it is. Nevertheless, we are required to look into it."  
  
"Ah. Well, I can assure that I had no knowledge of this. Maybe the CFO would know more, since that IS his job."  
  
"I shall look into it. Thank you for your time."  
  
"Not at all."  
  
The investigator opened the door and left. The executive sat back down in his chair, and pressed the button on his P.A. connection to his secretary's desk.  
  
"Send my assistant in right away."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
The assistant came in almost immediately.  
  
"How should I deal with Boleras, sir?"  
  
"Ah, our new Dragoon friend. Rather unfortunate that he went to the media, but it could work to our advantage. Tell him to keep it up, and make sure that the media knows I am the one who found his Spirit and that I am the one that is funding his alien-fighting activities. But make sure that neither he nor the media know that we are the ones responsible for the monster outbreak. I will continue to play both sides, the unknown menace and the savior."  
  
"Very good, sir."  
  
"One more thing. Make sure that whichever imbecile in the financial department put the twenty million dollars I charged the company for my private activities under its own unnamed category is fired, then arrange for him or her to suffer an untimely death as well. The world has no room for idiots who makes mistakes such as that."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
The assistant left. The executive mused, looking over his metaphoric chessboard, pondering his next move towards this unforeseen complication.  
  
Back to our rag-tag group of heroes in the motorhome...  
  
It was getting late, but none of the four Dragoons really felt like sleeping. It was Shade's driving shift, and a large number of normally hot- tempered drivers decided to refrain from blaring their horns once they got a good glance at the driver. The four Dragoons were uncommonly abuzz with conversation, all about the new Dragoon, of course. The media had talked nearly nonstop about the Thunder-aligned Dragon Knight, and they now knew more about them than they would ever need to know.  
  
"So, now that the world knows about Dragoons, we don't need to keep ourselves a secret either, right?"  
  
"Wrong. As you should remember, Phil, someone out there wants us dead. Or me dead, at least, but it will be a matter of time before they find out I'm not alone. We need to continue to lie low. Dawn, do you know this area?"  
  
"Well enough. Why?"  
  
"Is there a car recycling plant around here anywhere?"  
  
"Yeah, it's about 20 miles away. What would we need to go there for?"  
  
"I think we should probably pick up some used license plates. In case we do slip up, and someone finds out about us, we can change them periodically to avoid being tracked."  
  
"Let's just hope we don't have to resort to that."  
  
"Let's," Shade echoed.  
  
Author's Note (Yes, another one. Deal with it.): OK, I realize there wasn't much action in this chapter, but that was for a reason. This chapter was totally plot development. First of all, the world now knows about the Dragoons returning, and I have had a better chance to develop my somewhat shady character of Mr. Trega, the coporate executive. Now, I realize that in the first chapters, it sounded a LOT like Shinra and Mako from FF7, but there is some distinction. First of all, Shinra was an entire company, and this is just one man using his own business's money to fund his own schemes. He hires a Dragoon lackey to kill Rayen, who discovered his plot and became the first Dragoon, and when that backfires, he hires another Dragoon to be his poster-boy and keep up his political image. For those of you who are still puzzled by this character, rest assured, there will be more development on him later, and all the characters, for that matter. 


	14. Fletz

Author's Note (get used to 'em): Yes, there was a bit of a lag in this chapter, because I have been dealing with computer troubles, and I also took a break from this fic to write a Chrono Trigger short story, on the most intriguing character in said game (IMHO), Frog. It is entitled 'The Frog Knight' (not incredibly original title, but hey, it serves the purpose well enough), and it is complete. Read it, I implore you. Please? *hits himself* See, I'm begging again. Bad me! Moving on...  
  
Chapter 14  
  
"Arriving at Fletz at precisely 12:36 PM."  
  
"That's not funny, Phil."  
  
"I know, I've just always wanted to say it."  
  
"There's a lot of things you've always wanted to say. Like "(edited to preserve rating)".  
  
"Yeah... but that's different."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"I haven't SAID that one yet!"  
  
Rayen sighed. He opened his mouth to say something, but Phil interrupted him.  
  
"Whoa. That's pretty big."  
  
Rayen looked up, then let out a low whistle. Dawn gasped. The famous Twin Castle had just come into view. 'Pretty big' was a bit of an understatement on Phil's part. The castle towered over all the other buildings in the city, even the gigantic skyscrapers. Its two spires dominated the skyline, reaching so high they almost seemed to pierce the clouds. Rayen had seen pictures of it, of course, but it was not like the real thing, which stood in its entire splendor before him.  
  
"Gentlemen, and lady, the Twin Castle of Fletz. Okay, Shade, what do we do now?"  
  
Shade looked uncomfortable, or at least as uncomfortable as a person can look when their entire body, minus their eyes, is wrapped in black clothing.  
  
"Well... I don't really know."  
  
"Then why did you have us drive for four days to get here?"  
  
"I had... a feeling. Besides, I heard Fletz mentioned in many of their conversations. They thought I was as good as dead, so they didn't hesitate when speaking in front of me. They didn't say anything substantial, but Fletz was mentioned several times."  
  
"Alright. Well, since we don't know what we're looking for, why don't we go find this heroic Dragoon everyone's talking about?"  
  
"Seems fair to me."  
  
They didn't have to look very hard. In the city square, a gigantic crowd was growing by the second, surrounding a podium in the center. On the mounted stage stood the Thunder Dragoon, minus his armor, and behind him stood an older man in a fancy suit. He had the look of an executive, and Rayen thought he had seen him before, but he couldn't figure out where. Suddenly, the Dragon Knight Boleras (Rayen hadn't read enough of the Internet article to know his first name) stepped up to the microphone.  
  
"Here we go. Sappy over-rehearsed speech," Rayen muttered.  
  
Phil grinned, but several of the people in the immediate area turned around and scowled. Obviously, the populace had already accepted this man as a hero, and yet he had not even fought any of the monstrosities roaming the area. Rayen put it down to the media, and their portrayal of the man as the savior of the world. Then he started to speak.  
  
"People of Fletz, you no longer need to worry about the abominations that currently run rampant throughout are countryside, destroying and pillaging!"  
  
Of course, this statement was blown far out of proportion. The monsters were hardly running rampant, or pillaging and destroying. Most of them were holed up in caves or trenches, too fearful of the world to cause much trouble. Only the stupid and reckless monsters were the ones that traveled out of their hiding places, and even then they were mostly nocturnal. Rayen didn't believe they were much of a threat now. The real concern was if they were allowed to reproduce, or if whoever was producing the fiends could learn to make more powerful specimens. But the assembled populace didn't know the difference, of course, and the statement was met with a roaring cheer from the crowd.  
  
"I will personally hunt down and exterminate all of these beasts, until they are wiped from the face of the planet!"  
  
Another deafening cheer erupted from the gathered masses. More was said, but Rayen didn't need to hear it. In fact, he wondered why they even bothered to come here at all. This speech wouldn't contain anything of use to their cause. He motioned to the others, and they waded through the sea of bodies to somewhere private.  
  
"Okay, what do we do now?"  
  
"This is what I think. We wait until he's done talking, and follow him. Once he goes off to hunt monsters, the populace will stay behind. He'll take a cameraman with him, of course, to further inflate his reputation, but we can deal with that. We'll have a private conversation with him then."  
  
"Fine, but when?"  
  
"We'll need someone to watch him. No one should pay that much attention to a single person, considering the mob that will surround him at all times. That scout will inform the rest of us when he leaves to do his job, if ever, and then we'll go after him."  
  
"Makes sense to me."  
  
"Dawn, how would you like to watch? Let's face it; Shade would be a little conspicuous, especially alone. Besides, there might be someone looking for him in this city."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Good. The rest of us will go about preparing for the trip to wherever we find out we should go next. I'm sure that we'll find out eventually. But first, Shade... why don't you change into something a little less... black?"  
  
"Alright..."  
  
Phil, Rayen, and Shade left, back towards the motorhome. Dawn hung around, waiting until the Dragoon stepped down from the podium. Minutes later, Shade stepped out of the motorhome. He had swapped his black ninja outfit for a pair of jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, with a blue scarf wrapped around his face.  
  
"Not bad. It's November, no one will think twice. Just let us do the talking."  
  
Shade nodded. They got in the car, and drove through the city. They bought more food, water for the sinks and bathroom, and filled up the gas tank of the RV. When they pulled out of the gas station, Rayen's cell phone rang.  
  
"Rayen here. Speak now or forever hold your peace."  
  
"Very funny. He's leaving. Get over here and pick me up."  
  
"Right. Where are you?"  
  
"On the east road leading out of the city."  
  
"Okay. Be there in a minute."  
  
He nodded to Phil, who took a right turn, and they sped off out of the city, for a chat with the Violet Dragoon. 


	15. A Mysterious Newcomer

Whoo! Another fight chapter! This one's not exactly very detailed, but one of the upcoming ones will (I've got all the major events planned, I just need to link them together, which takes a little time.)  
  
Chapter 15  
  
"What kept you?"  
  
"Can it and get in the car."  
  
"My, we seem slightly agitated at the moment."  
  
"Damn straight. Now, GET IN THE GODDAMN CAR!"  
  
"Alright, alright."  
  
Dawn pushed past Rayen and sat down in the back. Rayen closed the door, and she looked at him.  
  
"What the hell is your problem, anyway?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious? We need to find Boleras."  
  
"We're not pressed for time or anything..."  
  
"Yes, we are. As soon as he's done killing monsters, the media will swamp him. Hell, we don't even know he's still fighting. We might be too late."  
  
Shade had returned from changing. He was back in his black martial artist's outfit, tying his night blue sash.  
  
"No, we won't. After all, his cameraman lackey needs good footage for the 6 o'clock news."  
  
"Do I detect a hint of cynicism?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"There he is."  
  
Phil pointed, and the three other Dragoons saw the man in violet armor dodging and weaving among a small pack of beasts.  
  
"That has got to be the biggest goddamn toothpick I have ever seen."  
  
At first, Rayen didn't know what Phil was talking about, but then he saw Boleras's weapon. It was a sword, with a blade that looked about six feet long, but was relatively thin, and Rayen had to admit it did appear like a giant metal toothpick. Standing a few feet away was a short man with a television camera, recording the battle. Phil brought the motorhome to a stop, and they stealthily disembarked. Phil snuck up behind the cameraman, and in a split second, shoved the tip of his spear through the recorder, and knocked out the device's pilot with a quick swing of the butt end. The man fell, unconscious, at their feet just as the Thunder Dragoon finished off the last of the monsters. He turned around.  
  
"Well, did you get good foot... who the hell are you?"  
  
"It's not important. All we want is information."  
  
"How exactly do you plan on getting it?"  
  
"From you, naturally."  
  
"Do you even have a clue who I am?"  
  
"Who doesn't?"  
  
"Then you really believe you can fight a Dragoon?"  
  
"Sure. We're Dragoons too."  
  
"Yeah, right."  
  
Rayen exhibited his Spirit as evidence. It shown with a ruby radiance that mimicked the amethyst glow from the purple Dragon Knight's. Boleras stared in disbelief for a moment, then came to his senses with a shake of his head.  
  
"Well, in that case, I shall have to kill you. You see, this gig has given me all I've ever wanted. Fame, money. I'm a household name. I can't have other people muscling in on my limelight."  
  
"For some reason this doesn't surprise me."  
  
Shade stepped up.  
  
"I'll do it."  
  
"If you want."  
  
Shade drew his onyx Spirit and focused his mind the power of darkness. The shadowy electricity raced around his body in an intricate web, forming the plates of his armor and the bones of his wings. The leathery skin of the wings was formed by the inky blackness of the void. He drew both his blades, and they too were transformed by the dark yet not evil magic. The transformation completed with a flash of darkness that dimmed the midday sun.  
  
Boleras didn't even wait until the end of Shade's transformation before charging. However, he was a fair distance from the Dark Dragon Knight, and Shade had time to counter before the sword was within reach. He leapt over behind his opponent and lunged in with both blades. Boleras, however, blocked the serrated blade with the hilt of his own, and he twisted his wrist so the longer sword was blocked as well. His sword was long enough that he wasn't hard-pressed to block both, as Rayen was, and Shade's weapon trapping had little effect on a six-foot blade.  
  
The two Dragoons became a flashing tempest of whirling swords. As Shade blocked his adversary's strike, Boleras did a very dishonorable thing. With his free arm, he pulled back and slammed his fist into Shade's face. The ninja stumbled back, blood streaming from his broken nose. Shade responded by sending a black bolt of energy his way, flinging the Thunder Dragoon backwards. As his opponent looked on in shock, Shade realized the same thing Rayen had against the Jade Dragoon; his opponents had not yet learned to use magic. As with Rayen, this gave Shade a definite advantage over his rival.  
  
What Shade did next, however, was substantially different than Rayen and his fight. While Rayen let loose a huge magical barrage, Shade blended blade and magic with deadly effect, always keeping his opponent of balance. If he stopped moving for even a moment, Shade would annihilate him faster than he could blink. Boleras was given a simple choice: dodge or die.  
  
He chose wrong.  
  
Boleras dug his steel-plated heels into the ground, and lashed out with his blade. He didn't even have time to complete the arc before Shade ducked beneath the sword and thrusted upwards with his longer weapon. The weapon slid through the space between the violet plates, pierced flesh, and speared the man's heart. Blood spurted; it ran down the hilt and stained Shade's gloves. Shade cleaned his blade and walked back to the group.  
  
Suddenly, a figure materialized behind them, by the body. Rayen and the group turned around. Rayen had never actually seen one, just pictures, but one stood before him in vibrant life. It was a Wingly. While all the pictures of Winglies Rayen had seen were males, all akin to the legendary Wingly Lloyd of the Second Dragoon Campaign, this specimen was most definitely female. The mysterious girl looked young, about his age, maybe slightly older. Her platinum hair, the distinguishing mark of all Winglies, rippled downwards in waves and she bent over and picked up the dead man's Dragoon Spirit.  
  
"Thanks for doing my work for me."  
  
"As if you're getting away with it."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
Rayen drew his sword.  
  
"Rayen, wait! You can't fight her without trans..."  
  
Rayen didn't even let Shade complete his sentence before lunging. Shade, who had seen Winglies before and knew how they fought, but he was still blown away by their tremendous speed. The female Wingly merely backflipped into the air and delivered a vicious kick to the side of Rayen's face. Rayen tasted blood in his mouth, but he focused heat into his hand, creating a fireball, but the Wingly merely activated the energy wings that also distinguished Winglies from other races, and sped off to the north.  
  
"DAMNIT!"  
  
Rayen hurled the flare as far as he could, but it was quickly outpaced by the retreating form. He clenched his fists, but he eventually sighed and relaxed.  
  
"So, what now?"  
  
"She went north."  
  
"So? She's not our enemy."  
  
"She is now."  
  
"I thought you weren't into revenge."  
  
"I'm not. She wanted that Spirit for a reason. It didn't react to her."  
  
"Whatever you say..."  
  
They slowly walked off the blasted battlefield, and into the car, not really knowing their destination. 


	16. Blown Apart

Author's Note: *notices he suddenly gained 6 reviews* Yay! Aerena must be back! I was wondering why only DDX was reviewing. I thought I might have scared you all away. Or my writing got really bad really fast. But I guess not. Anyway... uh... just keep reviewing! Yeah. I guess.  
  
Chapter 16  
  
"Let me get this straight. There were four Dragoons?"  
  
"Five, if you count the dead one."  
  
"Were they all different types?"  
  
"Yes. The dead one was Violet, as you know, and the others are Red-eye, Jade, Silver, and Dark."  
  
"Which one killed the Thunder?"  
  
"Dark."  
  
"I see. Why didn't you kill the others?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious? I was outnumbered. Four to one isn't good odds against Dragoons. Plus, these ones can use magic. The only reason I was able to get away with the Thunder Spirit was that one of them was ignorant enough to try and attack me without transforming first."  
  
The mysterious female Wingly from the outskirts of Fletz was sprawled nonchalantly on a couch, sharpening the steel claws she wore strapped to her hands. She moved the whetstone across the last of the three claws on her right hand, curving downward when she came to the wicked barb at the end.  
  
"Don't worry. I'll pick them off eventually, one by one."  
  
"Very well. I trust your judgement."  
  
"With good reason."  
  
"How will you separate them?"  
  
"I'll figure it out."  
  
Meanwhile, back in the gigantic coporate office...  
  
"Sir, I can understand why you're angry about his death..."  
  
"I'm not angry. Merely irritated. I had already sponsored him, and he goes and gets himself killed after one day. An inconvenience, nothing more. I would be angry if I had already paid him."  
  
"Do you think a monster did it, sir?"  
  
"I'm thinking of one monster in particular."  
  
"I assume you mean Project Shade, sir."  
  
"Of course. The only thing that can kill a Dragoon is another Dragoon, except perhaps a group of Winglies. Discounting Project Shade, there is only one Dragoon we know of, and that's the one that killed Corain. Do we know who that is yet?"  
  
"No, sir. There's no way of telling. It could be any person, any age, male or female. We don't even know the element. Besides, we can't inquire further without arousing suspicion."  
  
"Very well. So, what are you going to do now?"  
  
"I believe we should let things sit for a while. See if the monsters can hole themselves up until the populace calms down. If they don't, the authorities will hunt them down eventually."  
  
"But what about Project Shade?"  
  
"He is currently not a danger to us. We have nothing else he can ruin, so we have nothing to worry about."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Good. You are dismissed."  
  
Now for yet another setting change...  
  
Rayen sat in the chair at the table in the back room of the RV; his hands folded flat on the table, his chin resting on his knuckles. His face wore a bemused expression, his green-flecked azure eyes staring ahead at nothing in particular. Dawn glanced at him in concern, and then she turned to Shade, who sat on her left.  
  
"He's been like that all day. What's got him so upset?"  
  
"The Wingly. He hasn't had much experience in battle before, and he got too used to winning. He's been stewing over his defeat, thinking about what to do next time."  
  
"He said he didn't want revenge."  
  
"Everyone desires revenge. Some people just want it less than others."  
  
"I suppose."  
  
Suddenly, the car lurched off the road and stopped. Phil's voice rang out from the driver's seat.  
  
"I've had just about enough of this!"  
  
Phil stomped into the back room.  
  
"Look, I can understand that you're pissed because you got kicked in the face, but that's no reason to send us days out of our way!"  
  
The Red-Eye Dragon Knight snapped from his reverie. The twin moonlit lakes of Rayen's eyes suddenly froze over, as if by a chill winter. Phil hated that. He always stayed so damn calm whenever they got into an argument.  
  
"Where exactly is 'our way'?"  
  
"What the hell do you mean by that?"  
  
"Well, where exactly would YOU have us go after Shade killed Boleras? We didn't get any information out of him. That Wingly took his Spirit, she wants it for some reason."  
  
Another thing Phil hated about arguments with Rayen. His simple logic infuriated him.  
  
"We don't even know where she went!"  
  
"We didn't know where we were going when we first left home, either."  
  
Phil clenched his fists in rage, but eventually let out a deep sigh.  
  
"All right. I guess it's just time to change drivers."  
  
"That works. Dawn, it's your shift."  
  
Dawn nodded, got up from her chair, and moved into the driver's seat. They heard the engine rev, and the RV started back up again and moved back onto the road. A few more hours passed uneventfully. Dawn's voice suddenly rang out from the front.  
  
"Uh, guys? There's something weird up ahead..."  
  
Rayen, Phil, and Shade sprang up from their seats and dashed to the front of the motorhome. Rayen's eyes opened wide.  
  
"Almighty Soa, Father of Creation..."  
  
Ahead of them lay a swirling tempest of iridescent magical energy, churning and glowing.  
  
"For the love of the Divine Tree, Dawn, BRAKE!"  
  
"I braked a long time ago. We're not stopping. It's drawing us in."  
  
"Oh SHIT!"  
  
The car's wheels left the ground. They hung suspended in midair, revolving slowly. The hood of the car entered the portal, and it simply disappeared. The magic-charged air sent the heads of the four Dragoons reeling, and they knew no more.  
  
The first thing Shade sensed when he awoke was cold. Not the usual slight chill of a November breeze, but a deeper, biting cold that seeped through his padded black clothing. He lifted his head off the ground, and thought he had gone blind. Everything was white. Ice and snow, everywhere. He finally realized where he was; somehow, he had been transported to Kashua Glacier! No one ever came here anymore; there was nowhere you could get by going through here that you couldn't get by taking a boat or plane. Plus, many people said that monsters still lurked here from the Second Dragoon Campaign, holed up in the intricate networks of icy caves where the Dragoons couldn't locate them. Mere myth, of course, but Shade had learned even before becoming a Dragoon not to completely discount legend.  
  
So he was alone now, probably thousands of miles away from any of the others. They could never rejoin after a scattering like this. He was alone once again. Although he begun to like the companionship of the younger Dragon Knights, he had always been alone before now, and solitude did not bother him. It had been nice while it lasted, but it was over now. He had never been to Millie Seaseu before, but he knew the geography well enough. He would go to the capital, Deningrad the Crystal City. He would stay there until he could figure out what to do next.  
  
Shade pushed himself up off the frost with his gloved hands, and wandered towards the tall blue spires just barely gracing the horizon. 


	17. Hunted

Chapter 17  
  
"So, you managed to separate them?"  
  
"Yes. It was a simple process."  
  
"So, now you know where they are, so you can kill them off individually."  
  
"I don't."  
  
"Don't what?"  
  
"I don't know where they are."  
  
"How can you not know where you sent them?"  
  
"The power of the spell doesn't extend that far. But I can locate them by tracing their magical energies. Even when not in their armor, Dragoons still exude a greater amount of magic than humans naturally inherit."  
  
"Will you be able to tell which element is which from these energies?"  
  
"Unfortunately, no."  
  
"But didn't you want to attack them in a specific order?"  
  
"Yes. The Dark Dragoon is the most experienced in combat, and knows Wingly tactics, but the Red-Eye has honed his magic more than the others have. So, I should attack either the Jade or the Silver Knights first."  
  
"So, what if you find the wrong one?"  
  
"Leave without detection and find the others first."  
  
"Ah. Well, it makes sense."  
  
"Indeed it does. Now, if you'll excuse me, I had better go. It might take me a while."  
  
Phil awoke flat on his stomach. A cloying scent assailed his senses. Perfume? He looked up, and his hazy vision registered thousands of multicolored points of light. He dug the butt end of his spear into the soft earth, and propped his limp body onto his knees. His sight began to clear, and he immediately knew where he was. The multicolored lights he had seen were flowers, which accounted for the powerful smell of perfume. He was in Donau, the Flower City, in the middle of Tiberoa! He must have been transported hundreds of miles away. What next? Would Santa Claus appear and hand him a new toaster?  
  
Phil let out a jaw-cracking yawn. He was exhausted, although he wasn't quite sure why. Before he did anything else, he should get some sleep. He located the nearest hotel, and hoped he had enough money to last the night. He walked inside, and paid for his room at the desk. As soon as he unlocked the door, he immediately headed for the bed and fell asleep without even changing his clothes.  
  
Dawn awoke to find herself still at the wheel of the RV. She was in an open field, with cattle calmly grazing, oblivious to the fact a motorhome had just dropped out of the sky. Dawn looked out the windshield, and glimpsed buildings in the distance. She had seen those buildings before, on cityscape postcards. She was in Bale, the capital of Serdio, on the opposite side of the country! She would never find the others now!  
  
Dawn drove to the city streets, and searched for a crowded parking lot. She found a multiplex movie theater. Perfect. Nobody would suspect a car sitting in a cinema parking lot late at night. People would merely think someone was catching a flick at an ungodly hour to avoid congestion. She went in the back to the bunk beds, and fell on a bottom mattress, instantly asleep.  
  
Rayen awoke with his face in the cool, dewy grass. He pushed himself onto his knees and wiped the moisture from his face. He stood and gazed around the green knoll. He knew this place; he had been here many times before. Out of all the places in the world that portal could have dumped him, he had come out here! He strolled among the many stones, placed in even rows. Eventually he found what he was looking for. He sat down in front of one of the stones, HIS stone. He had often sat here, gazing up at the sky. His father had always eventually wonder where he had gone, and he had always found Rayen here, with this stone.  
  
Rayen glanced at the slabs of rock around him. He spotted a small glass vial, its rubber stopper at its side. Rayen suspected the contents had spilled or deteriorated long ago. No one would mind him using it. He picked it up, the nerves of his hand registering the cool smoothness of the glass. He set it down on the cool grass and drew his sword. He took a deep breath, and slashed.  
  
Perhaps in anticipation of what he was about to do, his hand trembled, and the small, clean incision he was supposed to make went awry. A jagged, long slash scored his arm, bleeding profusely. It wasn't what he wanted, but it would suffice. He tilted his arm so the river of blood flowed into the vial. He replaced the stopper, and dug a small hole in the earth near the stone. He placed the vial at the bottom of the hole, and replaced the earth. Finally, he covered the freshly dug earth with grass and leaves to conceal it, and got to his feet. He was finished.  
  
"How touching."  
  
Rayen didn't need to turn around. He knew that voice. It had reverberated through his mind for the past twenty-four hours.  
  
"Didn't your mother ever teach you to knock?"  
  
"Last time I checked, there wasn't a door."  
  
Rayen turned around, his blade in hand.  
  
"Put your sword away."  
  
"Why? You came here to fight me, didn't you?"  
  
"No. I was hoping you were someone else."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The Silver or Jade Dragoon."  
  
"Dawn or Phil. What do you want with them?"  
  
"To kill them, naturally."  
  
"I'm here. Why don't you kill me?"  
  
"I'm not after you yet. Don't worry. You'll get your turn."  
  
"Thanks a lot."  
  
"You're welcome. Just because I'm feeling particularly gracious, I'll take care of that nasty cut for you as well."  
  
She traced a pale rune in the air, and Rayen's wound healed in an instant.  
  
"Congradulations. Your nomination for sainthood should come any day now."  
  
"I wouldn't bank on it."  
  
"Neither would I. Why didn't you just wait until I bled to death and then take the Spirit?"  
  
"You would have patched it up somehow. Even the most ignorant of my race knows that you Humans aren't THAT stupid."  
  
"I'm flattered."  
  
"As you should be."  
  
She disappeared, leaving Rayen to wonder if she had just been an illusion sent to play mind games. But injuries like that didn't heal on their own that quickly. She really had followed him, and she was looking for Phil and Dawn. He needed to find the others, and quickly. He started to leave, but a voice rang out behind him.  
  
"Hey, wait!"  
  
Rayen whipped around in a split second, his sword in hand. The voice became scared.  
  
"Shit, don't hurt me!"  
  
It was a boy, a couple of years younger than Rayen. About fifteen, Rayen guessed. He relaxed, and his sword hand dropped to his side. The boy looked at Rayen's weapon in awe. He was wearing ragged shoes, faded jeans, and a T-shirt that was too big for him.  
  
"Shouldn't you be at home with your parents, kid?"  
  
"Don't call me kid. My name's Sean, and you're not that much older than me anyway. I don't have a home, or parents. They died four years ago, and I was in a foster home, but I left, because... well, just because. Now they've sent people after me, but I'm not going back."  
  
Rayen nodded. His ragged clothes and dirty face made snese now. Nobody doted over this urchin. Life had not been kind to him.  
  
"You saw that whole thing, didn't you?"  
  
"Yeah. Was that a Wingly?"  
  
"Yes, it was."  
  
"Wow, I've never seen a real one. Hey, can I come with you? I'm sure you can find me a job and a place to stay or something..."  
  
"To tell the truth, I don't really have a home either. I left it, but not for the same reasons. I sort of wander, I guess. I have a... thing I need to take care of."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Sean's face looked downcast, but he brightened in a moment.  
  
"Can I come with you anyway? Two heads are better than one, after all."  
  
"It's gonna be dangerous."  
  
"Yeah, I noticed that from what you said. That Wingly wants to kill you?"  
  
"Eventually. You don't want to be around when it does."  
  
"I can take care of myself. I've done it for four years, haven't I?"  
  
"You don't understand..."  
  
Rayen was about to refuse, but then he felt a strange sense in the back of his mind. It was the same sixth sense that came to him during battle, the cold, calculating part of himself. Besides, Sean reminded Rayen a lot of how he was before he became a Dragoon.  
  
"Yeah, alright."  
  
"Awesome! Hey, are you a monster hunter or something? Is that why you've got the sword?"  
  
"You... could say that. Come on, let's go."  
  
"Right."  
  
With his new companion, Rayen left the headstone of Amelia O'Connor, 980 - 1024.  
  
(Yes, I avoided describing it as a graveyard until the end of the chapter on purpose.) 


	18. Platinum Stalker

Chapter 18  
  
"Why did you do it? What had he ever done to you?"  
  
The voice echoed in the confines of Shade's mind. He had been walking towards Deningrad for hours, and the cold was making him delirious. His gloved hands were in his armpits, his body hunched against the biting wind, trying to preserve the warmth he had left. As he had years ago, he replied to the voice that rang from the deepest parts of his memory.  
  
"I told you, I didn't do it! I was set up!"  
  
The voice answered, exactly as it had more than 10 years ago.  
  
"Get out! Now! Never come back!"  
  
Finally, Shade was overcome. He stumbled, lost his balance, and fell. To his great surprise, the ice beneath him shattered, and he fell down... down... and all went black.  
  
When he awoke, he had no idea how long he had been unconscious. He attempted to move, and felt a sharp pain. His left leg was broken. He couldn't walk. He was crippled now, even more than they had managed to in the lab. He would die here, in this frozen wasteland.  
  
He couldn't move to survey his surroundings, so he simply stared upwards. The hole he had made in the ice was still up there, far out of reach, and the walls were too slick to climb even if he could use his leg. He must have fallen through one of the infamous ice tunnels dug by monsters during the Second Dragoon Campaign. Over a thousand winters, the region's blizzards had created a soft cushion of snow at the bottom of the tunnel, which had been the deciding factor between breaking his leg or breaking his spine. However, this snow had also gradually covered the mouth of the hole, until the tunnel opening had been covered by a thin layer of frost, which Shade's weight had shattered.  
  
He studied the proportions of the tunnel. It was long, and wide enough to fit the RV that Shade had been in just hours ago. Whatever had dug this tunnel was big. He struggled, and managed to push himself onto his right knee. He tried to stand, but promptly collapsed. It was useless. His good leg would simply not support his weight.  
  
"DAMNIT!"  
  
His oath echoed surreally throughout the tunnel, and he suddenly heard a snort, followed by hoarse breathing. Shade instantly knew what that sound meant. The monsters that had hid here after the Second Dragoon Campaign DID survive, or at least long enough to reproduce. His voice had woken it from its sleep. Sure enough, a gigantic insect-like head suddenly filled the lighted portion of the tunnel. The thing looked like a gigantic centipede, its body a vivid electric blue. It reared up on its back legs, so that its head nearly touched the ceiling, and clicked its huge mandibles in anticipation of a fresh meal.  
  
Shade knew what to do. He reached within the folds of his outfit for his Dragoon Spirit, and let the magic wash over him, forming his armor. He beat his wings and lifted off the ground. He no longer needed his left leg, which dangled like the useless appendage of a rag doll. But he would need it after his transformation. He pondered the dilemma for a moment, then got an idea. He hovered in the air, and a blue aura surrounded him.  
  
"Astral Drain!"  
  
He drew both his swords, and simultaneously hurled them at the beast. They embedded themselves in both sides of the creature's head, just beneath the multifaceted eyes. Shade focused his mind on the hilts, and conducted the monstrosity's life energy through the blades like electricity. The energy flowed from the swords into his waiting hands. He felt the fragments of bone in his leg rearrange themselves, the aching in his back ebbed.  
  
The creature lunged forward to devour the Dragoon, but Shade was to fast for that. He dodged to the left, and with his serrated blade, cut a long slash through the creature's flank. The centipede let out an earth- shattering shriek, and faded into smoke. The walls of the tunnel began to shake. Shade instantly knew that the beast's scream must have started a cave-in. Tons of ice and snow crashed down on him.  
  
But Shade had a last-minute stroke of genius. In the nanosecond before he would have been crushed by the cave-in, he created a magical shield around himself. He beat his wings, and as he moved upwards, the snow moved away from the field of dark magic, repelled by it like identical poles of a magnet. He eventually burst through the top layer of permafrost, on the surface once again.  
  
His Dragoon armor faded away in a flash of magic, and he walked on towards Deningrad, bursting with refreshed energy.  
  
Dawn grasped the diamond Spirit as best she could while driving, and focused her mind on its crystalline depths, searching for beings with superior magical power. She felt the tug. There was one to the west. Good, she was heading in the right direction. She couldn't tell whether it was Rayen, Phil, or Shade, but if they were to have any chance of reuniting, she had to catch whoever it was before they went too far. She deduced that since she had awoken in the RV, all the others were traveling on foot. It wouldn't be too difficult to reach them.  
  
She continued driving down the highway. She wasn't sure if the others had figured out that they could use their Spirits to locate each other yet. She hoped that whoever was closest to her had, because that would mean they could reach each other even faster. She took an exit into a small town. She navigated her way through the town and onto a deserted dirt road, following the invisible trail of magic. Suddenly, the right side of the motorhome jerked, nearly bucking Dawn out of her seat. What a time for one of the tires to blow out! She turned off the road so she could examine the damage and get the spare.  
  
She opened the door and got out, slamming it behind her. She bent over to diagnose the right front tire. It had three diagonal slash marks. How the hell had that happened? Then she heard the cold voice from behind her.  
  
"Jackpot."  
  
Dawn slowly got to her feet and turned around. The mysterious Wingly stood there, grim satisfaction etched on her face, with a set of three steel claws strapped to each hand. Dawn gritted her teeth in irritation, reached into the motorhome for her berdiche, and grasped the Silver Dragoon Spirit in her hand. She was the hunted, but she wouldn't submit without a fight. 


	19. Buying Time

Author's Note: Whee, I went from 30 reviews to 47 in two days! That's a lot. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially new readers!  
  
OK, it's battle time again! Dragoon/Wingly cat fight! Which one will win? Probably whichever is closer to PMS... *ducks beneath table to avoid rain of pointy objects*  
  
Chapter 19  
  
Magic poured out from the diamond depths of the Silver Dragoon Spirit, wrapping Dawn in a cocoon of radiance. Shining wings sprouted from her back, and the light twisted itself around her berdiche, transforming it into a larger and more deadly weapon. She swung the weapon a few times, testing the balance. Finally she leveled the splayed thrusting point at the Wingly, and the transformation completed with a dazzling sunburst.  
  
The Wingly needed no more provocation. The mythical 'wings of light' sprouted from her back, and she kicked off the ground and into the air. She swung hard with her right hand. Dawn blocked the barbed claws with the blade of her berdiche. The Wingly swung with her left, but Dawn countered by twisting her hand and blocking the left set of claws with her weapon's wooden haft. A flash of magic sent the Wingly spiraling backwards.  
  
She righted herself in midair just as the Silver Dragoon charged. She slashed with the head of her weapon, but the Wingly caught the pole below the blade. She jerked the berdiche upwards, trying to take it from the Dragoon's grasp. Dawn merely held on, and as the Wingly's arc of motion completed, she stuck out her feet, catching the platinum-haired martial artist in the stomach. The Wingly gasped for breath and let go.  
  
Dawn thrusted with the sharp piercing tip. The Wingly blocked the metal prong with her right claws, but the Silver Dragon Knight was prepared for this. Dawn reversed her stroke and slammed the butt end into the side of the Wingly's head. The Wingly wasn't down and out yet, however. She formed one of the infamous Wingly fireballs and hurled it at the unsuspecting Dragoon.  
  
The fireball exploded on impact, charring her unprotected hands and face and throwing her backwards, she flared her wings and dug her armored heels into the soft earth. What she didn't know was that this was exactly what the Wingly wanted. She cast a bolt of ice at the Dragoon's planted feet, freezing them in place. She landed, and her wings disappeared. She walked around to Dawn's vulnerable backside, and drew back her fist, preparing to sever the human's spinal cord.  
  
Dawn jerked her waist to the side with as much strength as she could muster. The ice cracked and snapped, freeing her feet. The blow, aimed for her back, simply grazed the back plates of her armor. Dawn raised the berdiche high above her head, and brought it downward, preparing to cleave the platinum-haired skull in two. The Wingly managed to bring both hands above her head, and by interlocking the two sets of claws, caught the blade between them and cradled the blow that would have cracked open her head. Her knees buckled under the force.  
  
Both strained to keep their efforts alive, but the Wingly knew who would be the eventual victor. She spoke a single word of magic, and disappeared, sending the blade of Dawn's weapon crashing to the ground. Dawn sighed, healed the burns on her hands and face, and deactivated the transformation. Putting her berdiche back in the RV, she calmly walked to the trunk and grabbed the spare tire.  
  
Phil wandered the streets of Donau, searching for a place he could duck away from the masses. Finally he found what he was looking for, a deserted backwater alley. Nonchalantly, so as not to attract attention, he walked into the alley and behind a dumpster. Once he was sure he was alone, he reached into the pocket of his jacket and withdrew his emerald Dragoon Spirit. Focusing his mind on the winds blowing over the earth, he identified a Dragoon to the south and another to the northwest, both about the same distance away from his location. However, he also located another Dragoon to the southeast, not too far away from the other. Which means that there are two in Serdio and a third in Millie Seaseu, Phil mused to himself.  
  
He should probably join up with the one in Millie Seaseu, considering the two in Serdio would probably find each other quickly, and two groups of two was safer than a group of three and a loner. The only problem was, how would he get across the sea? He didn't have any money; he couldn't afford a plane ticket or even a boat. Suddenly he got an idea.  
  
He walked out of the alleyway and over to the bustling Donau port. Selecting an area far away from the docks or any swimmers, he dove into the water, clothes and all. Once in the water, he immediately transformed into his Jade Dragoon armor, and created a bubble of air around him with his magic. He beat his wings, powering his way through the water. At this rate, he would reach Millie Seaseu in no time!  
  
Shade stumbled into the main streets of Deningrad, causing much commotion among the townspeople. He collapsed in the middle of the sidewalk, groaning. A crowd formed around him, chattering nervously.  
  
"Someone call an ambulance, quick! He came through Kashua Glacier!"  
  
"Lucky you knew there were orchards around here, huh?"  
  
Rayen had no idea how Sean managed to say this through a mouthful of cherries, but he nodded. He took out some money, paid the keeper, and shouldered the bag of apples, grapes, oranges and other various fruits. Sean picked up his own bag, and they left.  
  
Rayen agreed with Sean when he said they were lucky. They had enough food to last them at least two days before it all went bad. By that time, they could easily reach Rayen's hometown, and grab some supplies before heading out again. Rayen would have liked to pay his dad a visit, but the Wingly still might be after him, and the last thing Rayen wanted was to draw attention to his father.  
  
Rayen sighed. He would just have to cross that bridge once he came to it, as the saying went. He pulled a Fiji apple from his sack, and dug his teeth into it, the sweet juice bursting in his mouth. He motioned to Sean, and they left the orchard, nodding a farewell to the owner. Sean spit out the cherry pits into the grass, and Rayen swallowed the hunk of apple.  
  
"So, where are we going now?"  
  
"I thought it would be a long time before I would say this again, but we're going home." 


	20. Silver Flame

Chapter 20  
  
"So, did you get the Silver Dragoon Spirit?"  
  
"No. I was not able to defeat the Dragoon."  
  
"Really. Well, I must say this is very disappointing for someone as skilled as you, Kyra."  
  
"I underestimated the power of the Dragon Knights. I had never fought one before, as you may recall. I took the Thunder Spirit from the dead body. I will not fail again."  
  
"Let us hope not. By the way, another of my agents found a Golden Spirit."  
  
"Really? Which one?"  
  
"Emerson."  
  
"Take off the mask to check for frostbite."  
  
Kyra gritted her teeth, but tried not to give away her frustration. Emerson was one of her biggest competitors for the second-in-command position, ever since the other man had a tragic accident (there were many speculations of murder, of course). He was also a Human, which further wounded Kyra's pride.  
  
"How did he get it?"  
  
"He bought it off some old fool. It reacted to him, and he'll use his newfound skill as a Dragoon to gather as many more spirits as he can. He'll give his spirit up for the plan, of course."  
  
This was both good news and bad for Kyra's position. He hadn't gained it by fighting, which was good, but he was now a Dragoon, which meant even more competition. Nevertheless, she had time to redeem her mistake.  
  
"So now we still need Red-Eye, Jade, Silver, Dark, and Sea."  
  
"Correct."  
  
"Very well. I shall see what I can do."  
  
"Take off the mask to check for frostbite."  
  
Shade awoke just in time to save his gruesome secret. His hand shot upward and grabbed the arm of the nurse.  
  
"No! That is really completely unnecessary."  
  
"I'm sorry, sir, but it's procedure. If you have frostbite, you may need corrective surgery."  
  
All the surgery in the world could not fix what had happened to Shade's face. He shook his head.  
  
"I will not trouble you further. I am quite sure I do not have frostbite, and even if I did, I am capable of treating it myself. I have been out in the cold before."  
  
It was true, but the cold regions Shade had wandered before did not compare to the unforgiving frost of Kashua Glacier. Nevertheless, he insisted, and eventually the doctor gave up.  
  
"Very well. You can check yourself out, I presume?"  
  
"Yes, I believe I can walk. Thank you, Doctor."  
  
He got up from the hospital bed, and walked over to the counter. He pulled on his gloves, and reached for his swords, but the doctor stopped him.  
  
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to see certification papers before I can let you take those."  
  
Shade sighed and flashed the identification cards. The doctor examined them, and nodded.  
  
"That seems in order. Very well, sir."  
  
Shade slung both weapons onto his back and left the hospital. He stopped once he reached the sidewalk and looked around. So this was Deningrad. It didn't seem all that remarkable, in fact, it looked a lot like any other city, but he wasn't even in the same neighborhood as all the government buildings. He could see the spires of the famous crystalline castle on the horizon. He might as well check out that part of town, considering he had nothing better to do at the moment anyway. He sighed again, and walked off down the streets of the capital.  
  
"Well, there it is."  
  
"That one? It doesn't look any different than the others."  
  
Rayen smiled.  
  
"Curse of the suburbs, I'm afraid."  
  
"So... why are we here, anyway? We gonna see your old man, or what?"  
  
"No. We're here to grab a set of wheels."  
  
"What, we're gonna steal your dad's car?"  
  
"Not exactly."  
  
Rayen unlocked the door and they walked in.  
  
"Dad?"  
  
Good, there was no answer. Rayen didn't expect for his father to be home this early anyway. He beckoned to Sean and they made their way into the garage. Rayen flipped on the light.  
  
"That's our set of wheels."  
  
Rayen pointed to a motorcycle leaning against the wall. It was blue with a silver flame motif and a matching sidecar. Sean examined it.  
  
"Hmm... Not a bad bike, but sidecars went out of style years ago."  
  
"Give me a break, it's old. Once you're old enough, you can get your own. Until then, you'll just have to deal with it. We're taking it for practicality, not style."  
  
Sean shrugged. Rayen tossed him a helmet, and went back into the house.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"I'm leaving a note. I don't want my old man to think someone stole the bike."  
  
"Whatever. Just hurry up with it."  
  
"Yeah, yeah."  
  
Rayen grabbed the first piece of paper he could find and hastily scribbled a note on it.  
  
-Dad  
  
Dropped by. Sorry you weren't home.  
  
Group split up, other guys have RV.  
  
Took motorcycle, hope you don't mind.  
  
Went and saw Mom.  
  
Hope you're doing OK, and work isn't still tearing you up.  
  
-Rayen  
  
"OK, let's go."  
  
He left the note on the table and went back into the garage. He pushed a button on the wall and the garage door creaked open.  
  
"So, where exactly are we going?"  
  
"Come to think of it, I don't really know."  
  
Phil continued to beat his jade wings, keeping a steady pace as he glided through the water. Although he couldn't see the sky, the waters darkened, alerting him to the time. But he could see the undersides of boats now, and land was just on the horizon. He rested his wings and kicked through the water, searching for what he hoped was a deserted beach. It was almost December; hopefully there would be no tourists.  
  
Phil poked the top of his head above the waves. A sandy beach stretched out before him, and there was not a soul in sight. He pulled himself onto the shore and deactivated his transformation. He lay there in the sand, catching his breath. The next thing he knew a black boot slammed down on his right hand, causing him to hiss in pain. A barbed claw was leveled right between his eyes.  
  
"Hand over the Spirit and don't try anything smart."  
  
"Forget it."  
  
"I'll be taking it either way."  
  
Phil saw that the situation was hopeless. He retrieved the emerald and held it up. The Wingly's free hand snatched it up, and she examined it for a moment before taking her foot off of the Jade Dragoon's hand. Phil massaged his red knuckles.  
  
"Alright. Now, you're coming with me."  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"I don't believe I gave you a choice."  
  
The silver-haired Wingly snapped her fingers, and the two were whisked away by the winds of magic, winds that Phil had formerly controlled, and winds that he might never control again. 


	21. Another One Bites the Dust

Author's Note: OK, starting now, I'm gonna try to do a little more character development. I feel like I haven't really gone very deep into the characters yet, but that changes now. For those of you who don't know, Shade was having a flashback when he was half-dead in Kashua Glacier. Well, now he's having another one. Don't ask me how he's managing to do it while walking through the streets of Deningrad. He's talented. Go with it.  
  
Chapter 21  
  
"Why did you do it, son?"  
  
"I didn't! Get a grip! Why the hell would I kill my own brother? I'm telling you, I was set up!"  
  
"There was always something strange about you! Now we know what some people have said all along was true! You're a cold-blooded killer! Get out! You are no longer part of my family!"  
  
Shade's father hurled a vase at his retreating form. The porcelain shattered on impact with his shoulder blade. Shade had suffered much worse physical pain in his seventeen years, but this pain would go deeper than any wound could. He fell to the ground, causing a cloud of dust to spiral through the air before settling back down onto the land. He pushed himself up with his arms, and scrambled away from the place that had once been his home.  
  
By that time, it seemed like everyone in town thought Shade had killed his older brother. The twenty-year-old had been found with his stomach slashed open, with Shade's serrated blade bloodied at his side. The only person that did believe Shade was his sword master.  
  
"So you don't think I did it, Master Kohima?"  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Master Kohima turned to look at his teenage student. Out of all the members of his dojo, he was one of the students that showed the most talent in the field.  
  
"It's simply not your style. Investigators always search for MOs and yours doesn't fit here. If you had killed your brother, you would have done a much cleaner job of it. A simple thrust through the heart with your weapon- catcher and he would have been dead within seconds. You also would have had the brains to wipe the blood off your sword after he died."  
  
"So you believe me capable of murder?"  
  
"All of the disciples of the sword are capable of murder. We are taught to kill without compassion."  
  
"But there is a difference between killing in combat and murder."  
  
"True, there is a line. But the line is thin, and not always to see."  
  
It had been ten years now. What if the line became invisible? What if, sometime when it was most crucial, he stepped over that line, and lost everything he had once accomplished?  
  
Shade snapped out of his daydream to find himself in an entirely different part of Deningrad. He was just as far away from the Crystal Palace as he had been when he was in the hospital, but now it was in a different direction. Shade sighed and sat down on a public bench, his face in his hands.  
  
Kyra found the motorhome parked in a multiplex parking lot. It was the same one, she was sure of it. But was the Silver Dragoon inside? There was only one way to find out. She teleported to the inside of the vehicle. Creeping softly, so as not to wake any sleeping inhabitants, she made her way to the bedroom. There, in one of the bottom bunks, the Silver Dragoon lay sleeping. Kyra smiled. This was too easy. She grasped the girl's wrist, startling her awake, but before Dawn had a chance to react, they were already gone.  
  
Phil strained once more against the chains that bound him to the wall, but it was useless. The manacles were obviously made of a metal that even the increased strength that was one of the post-effects of transforming to a Dragoon could not break. His train of thought was interrupted by two figures that appeared suddenly out of midair. One was the Wingly that brought him here, and the other appeared to be Dawn.  
  
Kyra held her vicious claws up to Dawn's throat. She kept her other hand open, waiting.  
  
"You know what I want."  
  
Dawn was given the same choice as Phil; give up the Dragoon Spirit or die, and if you die, we'll take it anyway. Naturally, she opted for the former. She placed the diamond into the Wingly's hand, and Kyra instantly let go, sending Dawn tumbling to the floor. She left without another word. She didn't even chain Dawn up. She didn't need to.  
  
Rayen brought the motorcycle to a stop in the streets of a small city. They had been on the road for nearly three days now, and they needed a place to stop and rest. Rayen and Sean unbuckled their helmets and dropped them both in the sidecar.  
  
"Too bad about those Dragoons. All those things they might have done, gone to waste."  
  
"Yeah. It's a shame that guy died."  
  
"Well, yeah, but that's not what I'm talking about. I mean the criminal one."  
  
Rayen looked puzzled. He hadn't the faintest idea what Sean was talking about.  
  
"What, you mean you haven't heard? Where the hell have you been? I mean, I don't have a TV and I know about it."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Well, nobody really knows. There were no witnesses left alive. Basically, a Dragoon broke into a bank during the night, stole everything, killed everyone in the bank, and left."  
  
"How do they know if it was a Dragoon if no one saw it?"  
  
"Well, it must have been a Water Dragoon, because the entire inside of the bank was incased in ice. All the guards were frozen before they could do anything stop the Dragoon. When they tried to thaw out the bodies, but they shattered. I remembered it because it was the bank in this city."  
  
"Lucky us."  
  
Rayen suddenly stopped. His gaze rested on a man in a trenchcoat and a scarf, leaning against the walls. Their eyes met, and the man nodded.  
  
"Sean, why don't you go ahead? I'll catch up later."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"I have something I need to take care of."  
  
Sean shrugged and left. Rayen walked over to the wall and leaned against it, next to the heavily clothed man.  
  
"Shade?"  
  
The enigmatic pedestrian merely slipped a folded-up piece of paper into Rayen's hand. Rayen unfolded it and glanced over its contents. It was a set of directions, followed by a hastily scrawled '10:00 PM tomorrow'. Rayen looked up, confused, but the man in the trenchcoat was gone.  
  
Author's Note: Is Shade really innocent of killing his brother, or has he just played reverse psychology for the past decade? Which of the remaining Dragoons will Kyra go after next? Who the hell is that guy in the coat? Find all these answers and a duck-billed platypus in the next riveting chapter of... oh hell, you know. 


	22. Parting Ways

Author's Note: OK, I realize the last few chapters have been pretty bad. The reason is that they are mostly transition chapters. We're getting to a very large plot event really soon, and the purpose of the last several chapters was to move the story along to this specific point. Therefore, they were not very detailed and ended up being pretty crappy. But this is the last of the crap chaps. You have to put up with this last transition chapter, and then it will get better, I promise.  
  
(I lied in the last chapter. There will be no platypus. Sorry.)  
  
Chapter 22  
  
The Crystal Palace of Deningrad loomed before Shade in all its glittering majesty. In a way, it reminded Shade of the glaciers he had just left. They both looked fragile, but were in reality far from it. The Palace had been standing for over a thousand years, ever since its rebuilding after it was annihilated by the Divine Dragon during the Second Dragoon Campaign, and after centuries, not one of the magically reinforced crystals had so much as chipped. Shade leaned against a wall, musing, when the Wingly appeared next to him. He did not look at her, nor make any sign that he had noticed her at all.  
  
Normally, one would think that the general populace would be slightly alarmed to see a Wingly appear out of midair, but in Deningrad, this was not the case. Winglies often came to Deningrad, usually political representatives sent to speak with the government of Millie Seaseu, but there were some that came for other reasons, so it didn't bother them. A man dressed in a black ninja outfit didn't seem to bother them. Ceremonial fighting was an honored tradition, paying homage the Dragoons, saviors of the world. In some circles it was considered a sport. Besides, any city was bound to have its oddballs, and a populous city like Deningrad was no exception.  
  
"I have two of your comrades. Surrender yourself and your spirit and no harm will come to any of you."  
  
"Since when have any of my so-called 'comrades' meant anything to me?"  
  
The Wingly looked sincerely taken aback by this statement.  
  
"Don't get me wrong, it was nice travelling with decent human beings for once, but they passed into my life, and now it appears they have passed out of it."  
  
"You feel no loyalty at all to them?"  
  
"Bah, I never fit in with them. They never knew quite what to make of me, Shade the monster, Shade the beast. Besides, I look out for myself. Endiness is a harsh place, and not for the weak. Survival of the fittest, as they say."  
  
Kyra was quite at a loss now. She had not counted on him acting this way. However, Shade seemed to have an idea that solved her problem.  
  
"Why don't I join you?"  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Sure. You must have someone in charge. People wouldn't do something like collecting Dragoon Spirits unless told to."  
  
"You are correct. I do work for someone else. But why would you want to join us?"  
  
"Simple. I want to be on the winning side. Once the Red-Eye learns that you have his friends, he'll come along quietly. There will be no one left to fight you. Besides, couldn't you use a Dragoon in your ranks?"  
  
"Very well. I shall take you back to my superior. We'll see what he makes of you."  
  
Kyra traced a magic symbol in the air and they teleported out of the city of Deningrad, which continued on without them, unaware of the events that had just transpired.  
  
A few hours later, Shade stood before the master of the plot to hoard the Dragoon Spirits. He didn't look special to Shade. He looked like an ordinary middle-aged Human, perhaps a little more well built than most, but nothing remarkable. But Shade had learned not to take appearances for granted.  
  
"So, you are interested in joining my little group?"  
  
"Yes. I have the Dark Dragoon Spirit you're looking for."  
  
"Ah, yes, Kyra mentioned that to me. I assure you that we will return it to you as soon as it has served our purpose."  
  
"Would you be willing to tell me what that purpose is, precisely?"  
  
"I'm afraid not. After my second-in-command's untimely death, I am the only one with the knowledge of such information. You see, I can't risk revealing it to anyone. You never know who could be a double-agent."  
  
Shade nodded. This man was much more intelligent than he appeared. Shade kept his eyes on the strange mastermind; therefore not realizing he was being watched as well.  
  
John Emerson stood among the files of troops, standing near the front due to his high rank. At first, he had not been quite sure, but now he knew for certain. There was no mistaking those eyes, or that vest and that sash. He had worn that vest and sash for ten years.  
  
"It's been a long time."  
  
No one heard him, of course. He was speaking more to himself than to the black-clad Dark Dragoon.  
  
After the interview, Shade walked into the personal quarters designated to him. He had barely sat down before there was a knock at the door. Probably Kyra, Shade thought. He had learned the Wingly's name during the interview.  
  
"Come in."  
  
However, the person who strolled in was most certainly not Kyra. Shade's eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"John?"  
  
John Emerson flashed a smirk. He was acting, as usual, as if he owned the world and everything in it. He hadn't changed after all this time.  
  
"How have you been, Ken? I haven't seen you since I killed your brother to get you thrown out of town, and that's been what... ten years now?"  
  
"I always suspected it was you. No one else had a motive for getting rid of me."  
  
"You should know by now that I hate being upstaged. You got in my way. I merely took advantage of the general distrust everyone felt towards you. But you chose to forsake your old noble ways and walk the dark path everyone accused you of taking. They jumped the gun a bit, but it was true in the end. Now we're both cold-blooded killers, and now we're working together! Funny how these things work out."  
  
Shade wasn't laughing.  
  
Rayen stopped the motorcycle where instructed by the note, near a large warehouse on the outskirts of town. He unstrapped his helmet and walked briskly towards the single figure outlined in the lamps on the walls of the storeroom. Sean took of his helmet and followed at Rayen's heels.  
  
"OK, Shade. I'm here. How the hell did you find me, and what's with the late night meeting?"  
  
"I'm afraid you have me mistaken for somebody else."  
  
The enigmatic figure removed the heavy coat, the scarf, and the hat. Rayen now registered the figure as a man in his late twenties, so large he could have played football. Now Rayen understood.  
  
"OK, I get it. You're that Sea Dragoon that robbed the bank, right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Your spirit told you I was a Dragoon, and you thought I was here to hunt you down and take you out."  
  
"Correct."  
  
"So you decided to get rid of me first in one of those midnight one-on-one duels."  
  
"Yep."  
  
Rayen sighed and massaged his temples. He didn't want to deal with this, not now. But it didn't look like he had a choice.  
  
"Sean, go back to the bike. You'll want to stay out of the way while I do this."  
  
Author's Note: Whoo! Shade's gone turncoat, and he's working with the guy that framed him for murder and forced him into disgrace! Fun, fun, and more fun! OK, this chapter was pretty long, and next one will be too, because it contains the longest and most descriptive battle seen yet. It might take me a while to update (by my standards), but I'll go as fast as I can. 


	23. Fire and Ice

Author's Note: *just got yelled at for not figuring out a way to put a platypus in the last chapter* OK, fine. *hands Aerena TWO platypi* O_o There. Are we all happy now?  
  
Chapter 23  
  
Rayen watched in interest as the Sea Dragoon transformed. Water flowed from his sapphire Spirit to all parts of his body, then froze, forming the sky- blue armor and wings. From the palm of his hand, water surged forth, then froze into the form of a huge two-handed sword. It was not as long as the 'metal toothpick' used by the ill-fated Violet Dragoon Boleras, but it was a good four and a half feet long, and much wider. It dwarfed Rayen's sword by an entire foot, and it was double-edged and wicked looking. The transformation ended in a wave of ice bursting forth, coating the ground and Rayen in a layer of frost.  
  
Rayen would not be outdone, however. The white-hot inferno seeped from his ruby, turning the frost on his body to steam so quickly it didn't even pass through the liquid stage. The wings sprouted from his back, with a vivid azure base to crackling yellow flames at the tips. He drew his sword, and flames intertwined around it, and it metamorphosed into the more powerful blade. A wave of fire that melted the ice on the ground signaled the completion of Rayen's transformation.  
  
Rayen stood his ground, waiting for his opponent to make the first move, giving him the advantage. Eventually, the Sea Dragoon kicked off the ground, lunging forward with the double-edged sword held high above his head. Rayen was prepared for this, however. He bent his knees, and launched himself into the air. Then, he flared his wings, propelling himself back downwards, while focusing heat energy into the soles of his feet. His feet connected with the armored plate between the wings, slamming the Water Dragoon's stomach into the pavement.  
  
He jumped off of his adversary, pivoted in the air, and slashed downward. By some miracle, his opponent not only managed to prop his body up with one hand, but he also twisted his body and brought his heavy sword upwards, thwarting Rayen's blow. Flipping backwards, the Sea Dragoon swung his blade once more, the previous momentum making the one-handed strike less difficult. Rayen blocked it easily, but he soon learned that it had been no more than a ploy. A mailed fist connected with the side of his face. The Red-Eye Dragoon stumbled backwards, gently kneading his cheek.  
  
Rayen twisted flames into the shape of a hand axe with a back hook, which he grasped with his free hand. He reached back and threw the fiery projectile at his opponent. The Sea Dragoon merely reached out his own hand, and in a flash of magic, the axe clattered to the ground, now cast in ice instead of fire. So, he really could use magic, Rayen thought to himself. Then this would be a lot more difficult.  
  
His rival launched himself at Rayen yet again, and the Fire Dragoon leapt over him, landing behind the blue-clad warrior. Stooping low, he scooped up the axe once more. As his opponent turned around, Rayen swung with the chill weapon. The two-edged sword came up once again to block, but at the last possible moment, Rayen reversed the weapon, sliding the rear spike through a crack in the sky-blue armor. With a flick of his wrist, Rayen snapped the rest of the axe away from the sharp icicle, which remained wedged between two of the plates of the Sea Dragoon's armor. Rayen renewed the attack, but this time it was blocked, and the clash of the two weapons shattered the frozen hatchet, scattering slivers of ice onto the sidewalk. Rayen flew backwards to avoid leaving himself open, and the older man took this opportunity to wrench the hook from his armor. Rayen smirked; knowing his opponent had made a serious mistake. With nothing clogging it, blood exited freely from the wound. Soon, the blood loss would take its toll.  
  
The opposing Dragon Knight was not out yet, however, and Rayen soon felt a vicious kick collide with his chest, flinging him backwards. Rayen propelled himself upwards, wreathed his blade in crackling flames, and then hurled it at his adversary. The man dodged it, however, and the sword embedded itself in the pavement, the flames dying. Rayen landed on the ground just as the Sea Dragoon launched a huge beam of icy magic. Rayen sprinted ahead of its sweeping path for a few moments, then ducked beneath it, kicked off the ground, flying underneath the beam. His shoulder blade slammed into the other man's stomach, and the beam was directed upwards as the man's arms flew above his head after the blow.  
  
Rayen made a wild dive for his sword, but by this time his opponent had righted the beam. Rayen had no time to dodge. He was hit full force, and the ice bonded his lower body to the wall of the warehouse. Rayen attempted to push off the wall, but the ice held him fast. He couldn't melt it; it would just open himself for a killing stroke. He threw an orb of fire at the Sea Dragoon, knocking him backwards. That would give him time. He magically reached out to his sword, calling it to him.  
  
The blade freed itself, and soared gracefully into Rayen's waiting hand. Focusing magic into the tip, he struck the earth, sending a wave of flame surging beneath the ground. It collected beneath his opponent, then exploded in a pillar of fire. The magical armor now became more of a hindrance than help, the metal trapped the heat inside, making his body a literal furnace. Flesh was incinerated, and bones were bleached. All that remained now of the ill-fated Sea Dragoon was a pile of blue armor and a grotesque skeleton.  
  
The ice shattered; Rayen was free. But he did not waste time relishing his victory. He bounded over to the bones, thrusting his sword upward to the exact point Kyra appeared that precise moment. The tip quivered at the Wingly's throat.  
  
"You realize, I could probably take the Spirit and warp away before you could react."  
  
"Probably is the key word there. Are you willing to risk your life on that chance?"  
  
The Wingly glared malevolently at Rayen, but he was right. She disappeared. Rayen let out a sigh, picked up the sapphire Spirit, and deactivated his Spirit. He turned to Sean, who had sat in the sidecar dumbstruck since the opening transformation, and smirked. He lobbed the Spirit at the fifteen- year-old orphan, who caught it; eyes growing wide as it emitted a radiant blue glow. Rayen sighed again.  
  
"I'm beginning to notice a pattern here..."  
  
He awoke the Sea Spirit, and Sean transformed. He stared at his own body, now covered in glimmering blue armor, and at the ranseur that formed in his hands. Rayen laughed, and motioned for Sean to deactivate the sapphire. He did so, and the stone dropped into his hands.  
  
Then came the explosion.  
  
Sean was knocked forwards from the blow, the gem tumbling from his grasp. Kyra floated behind them, wisps of smoke trailing from her fingers after she hurled the fireball. She quickly darted to the ground, snatched the Spirit, and teleported away before Rayen could react.  
  
Rayen would have raged at the retreating Wingly, but he could discharge that anger later. He rushed to his fallen comrade. Sean propped himself up with his hands. Miraculously, he wasn't dead. The magical protection of the armor must have lingered after the transformation.  
  
"Rayen... I can't move my legs."  
  
At first, Rayen couldn't tell what he meant, but then he deduced the truth. The fireball must have exploded on contact with his spinal cord. His lower section of nerves must now be singed beyond repair.  
  
Sean was paralyzed.  
  
Author's Note: Yet another obscure medieval weapon, a ranseur is basically a trident, except that as well as the normal three points, it also has two additional smaller points that are curved backwards, which, for you math geniuses, equals five in all. Although it doesn't look like Sean is actually going to USE the weapon. 


	24. The Apocalypse Begins

Chapter 24  
  
After dropping Sean off with a vague, half-true explanation of his injury, Rayen left the local hospital. He knew what to do next. Without saying a word, the Wingly had made that perfectly clear. He moved to a nearby building, leaned against the brick wall, and waited. Almost instantly, the Wingly appeared. He glanced at her, sizing her up.  
  
It was the first time he really got a close look at her. She was very pale, like all Winglies, with the familiar metallic tresses, cut to shoulder length. Her eyes... those were definitely different. Most Winglies had crimson eyes, the red color of fresh blood. This Wingly's eyes were a much darker red, a deep burgundy color, so red they almost seemed purple. After a few moments, she spoke.  
  
"I have your three comrades. Surrender yourself and your Spirit and come with me and they will not be harmed."  
  
Just as Shade had predicted, Rayen nodded. He knew it would come to this sooner or later. As much as he desired a fight, he couldn't risk the chance of her getting away and the others ending up dead. He pulled the fist-sized ruby from his pocket and lobbed it nonchalantly towards her, as if he were tossing nothing more important than a baseball. She caught it, the gem making a clinking sound as it gently struck the steel claws.  
  
"That's all of them then... now we'll finally see what he's going to do with them."  
  
"He?"  
  
"My superior. Now that I've brought him five Spirits, I'll finally get promoted."  
  
"Five? But didn't you take six?"  
  
The Wingly smirked.  
  
"Ah, so you don't know. The Dark Dragoon came along willingly. He's with us now."  
  
To Kyra's great surprise, Rayen did not appear at all startled by this fact.  
  
"Oh."  
  
'Oh?', Kyra thought to herself. His comrade double-crossed him and all he can say is 'Oh.'? Maybe the Dark Dragoon was right, and the others didn't really trust him. Kyra couldn't say she blamed them. Still, she was slightly taken aback. But she eventually shrugged and they warped away.  
  
The next few hours seemed to go by in a dizzy whirl. Rayen remembered being jostled awake by Phil. He and Dawn were standing, unchained. Rayen looked down at his own wrists, and saw that they had taken the manacles off him as well. He stood, and they left the room, led by two solemn guards. They were thrust into a gigantic chamber. It was cold and metallic, like the rest of the compound, and there was nothing at all in the room except a large chair and a machine. The 'superior' Kyra had mentioned was obviously the man sitting in the chair, but it was the machine that caught the eye of the three Dragoons.  
  
It was huge, looking like something out of a bad science fiction movie. It looked like a cannon, and the nozzle was pointed out of the room's only window, which was actually more like a square hole in the wall. At the base of the machine was a control panel, and something very odd. To the right of the control panel, there was an odd design consisting of strange pictures, indecipherable runes, and seven circular depressions where Rayen guessed the Dragoon Spirits would be placed.  
  
Suddenly, the double doors opened, and troops filed into the chamber. It did not appear to be a large group. Rayen guessed there were no more than forty, minus the five guards that stood watch around them. Rayen tried to pick out Shade from among them, but could not. They organized into two groups, each with five rows. The three Dragoons were pushed between the two groups. A person moved to the head of each group. Rayen recognized one as the female Wingly. The other man he had never seen before.  
  
The man in the chair started calling out names.  
  
"John Emerson."  
  
The man at the head of the left group smirked and strolled to the machine, placing a topaz Spirit in one of the seven depressions. He then stood at the head of the room, directly in front of the mastermind. The leader continued in a monotone, but none of the other lackeys came up. None of them had managed to get their hands on the coveted Spirits. Rayen noted that they were moving by row. Through this process, the Wingly would be called last. He wondered if that had been done on purpose for dramatic effect.  
  
"Shade."  
  
Shade marched from his rank towards the machine, risking a glance at the group of his former comrades. Phil was clenching his fists, trying to suppress his fury. Dawn merely appeared sad. Rayen remained impassive. When their gazes connected, he gave an almost imperceptible nod.  
  
Rayen knew, then. Whether this was good or bad for his own position, Shade couldn't say. He continued walking, and placed the onyx Dark Dragoon Spirit in the depression clockwise from the topaz. He also marched to the head of the room, standing to the left of Emerson.  
  
John Emerson listened with a self-satisfied smirk as the leader continued to read off names, but it soon faded from his face. They were reaching the end of the list, and five Spirits were still unaccounted for. Surely it was not possible...  
  
"Kyra."  
  
So, this Wingly did have a name, although it appeared she only had one. Rayen wondered if she had refused to give her last name, or it was possible that Winglies merely didn't have them.  
  
Kyra walked over to the machine, and slowly placed not one, but five Spirits in their respective depressions. Then she marched to the head of the room, standing to the right of Emerson, smirking at his awestruck look.  
  
(Man, these people take job politics to a whole new level.)  
  
The mastermind finally got up from the chair. Rayen expected a speech, but it appeared that none were forthcoming. He merely nodded to the group, and everyone drew their weapons. They placed the hand that held the weapon on the left side of their chests. Rayen noticed that Shade was using his longer weapon, and wondered why he had decided to use that blade rather than his right-handed sword.  
  
The man walked to the machine and pushed a few buttons on the control panel. The runes flickered with a strange light, and the Spirits shone their respective colors, creating a blinding spectrum of magical radiance. An enormous white beam shot from the machine. It pierced the sky, creating a gaping extradimensional hole.  
  
The amassed troops gaped at the swirling portal in the sky. Kyra's eyes shone in anticipation. Surely whatever emerged from that gateway was immensely powerful. Now, nothing would stop them from bringing about a new world order!  
  
They soon found out what was living on the other end of the portal.  
  
Dragons.  
  
Red, blue, green, brown, purple, white, and black, they emerged in threes from the portal, a larger dragon ahead of two smaller ones. The twenty-one legendary beasts hovered in the sky, casting shadows on the pathetically weak planet below.  
  
But they were not done yet. Another being emerged from the portal.  
  
It was immense beyond any imagination. It had seven eyes, arranged in a circle around a huge eighth orb, all with cat-like slit pupils. Seven wings, plowing powerfully through the air. Wicked claws, a gigantic cannon, and a barbed tail. This thing was meant to kill, utterly and mercilessly.  
  
The Divine Dragon.  
  
The mastermind turned on a huge screen, which apparently showed satellite images from space, so they could watch the dragon's antics from a birds-eye view, although all real birds had by now fled the skies of Endiness. It flew through the air with malicious intent, headed towards Bale, its obvious target.  
  
Kyra watched, her pride steadily growing. She was an instrumental person in releasing this magnificent beast, which would bring about a new era to Endiness. But suddenly, it stopped. Kyra did not understand why. It turned to the huge forest just outside of Bale. A magical green bubble suddenly surrounded a large section of the forest. Now Kyra understood. The dragon was aiming for the forest, which was famous for the most concentrated Wingly population in Endiness. She mentally divided the forest up into the living districts, and located the district with the shield.  
  
She was in for a nasty shock. That was HER district, the district she had grown up in! It couldn't be possible...  
  
But it was. The eighth eye glowed, the pupil dilated with the bright light. A humongous radiantly white beam shot from the cannon, annihilating the district, shield and all, in a nanosecond. Kyra fell to her knees, sobbing. The blood of her family and friends was on her own hands. The Divine Dragoon, satisfied, flew back to its ancient home, the Mountain of the Mortal Dragon, diving into the depths of the volcano.  
  
Shade saw his opportunity. It was now or never.  
  
"This one's for you, Joey!"  
  
True to Master Kohima's prediction more than ten years ago, Kenneth Perrault fulfilled his modus operandi. He plunged his weapon through John Emerson's heart, killing him instantly. He withdrew his blade, made a mad dash to the machine, withdrew four of the spirits, and tossed the three, in rapid succession, to each of the captive Dragoons. Phil and Dawn both looked dumbstruck, but Rayen merely grinned as he caught his and activated it immediately. He had guessed the whole time, then.  
  
Realizing what was going on, all of the troops with any sense, including the mastermind, fled either physically or magically. About twenty people remained in the chamber, naïve enough to attempt fighting a Dragoon. Kyra remained on her knees in disbelief. The four Dragoons cut down the opposition quickly. They reverted back to their normal forms.  
  
Kyra rose to her feet and turned to the Dragoons.  
  
"Take me with you."  
  
It wasn't a request. On a sudden impulse, she walked to the machine and took the three remaining Spirits. When her hand touched the Thunder Spirit, it began to glow with a fierce light.  
  
"But why? It didn't react to me when I first took it..."  
  
Shade pocketed his own Spirit and turned to the Wingly.  
  
"It appears your destiny has finally caught up with you."  
  
As if on cue, the first snows of winter fell on the land of Endiness, like downy white feathers sticking to the scalding tar of destruction the heavens had so unjustly rained upon them. 


	25. Return of the Dragons

Author's Note: OK, I hve gotten some confusion in relation to the last chapter. Shade was not really a bad guy, he just faked it so he could screw them over. He couldn't stop the dragons, but he did get revenge for his brother's murder. Yes, Winglies CAN be Dragoons, considering that Meru was the Sea Dragoon in the game.  
  
I also have another question for my esteemed readers. Yes, all six of you. .  
  
This is for all of you that have played Chrono Trigger, which I doubt is very many, considering my Chrono Trigger short story has a grand total of 2 reviews. Anyway, my friend and I had an argument in Algebra about the best party. We both agree on Crono and Ayla, but we differ on the third member. The question is this: Who do you think is better, Magus or Frog? I won't reveal my opinion so as not to induce bias. Just say what you think.  
  
OK, on to the new chapter.  
  
Chapter 25  
  
"I can't believe you guys are even considering this."  
  
Rayen, Dawn, Phil, and Shade all stood near the RV that Kyra had brought to their location through magic.  
  
"Why the hell should we take her with us?"  
  
Rayen pointed at Dawn.  
  
"She nearly killed you!"  
  
Dawn looked down and said nothing. Phil got up.  
  
"The point is, she realizes now what she's done and wants to fix it."  
  
Rayen still couldn't grasp how they could go through with this.  
  
"I need to take a walk."  
  
He left the group, his feet making small crackling noises as he crushed the newly fallen slowflakes that covered the earth beneath him. He continued walking, not really paying attention to where he was going, until he came to a bare tree on a hillside overlooking the valley below. He plopped to the ground with a heavy sigh, and tried to sort out his thoughts. Another Dragoon would certainly help the group, especially since now they had to go after Dragons, but the sight of Sean lying with his back charred on the pavement, and the realization he would never walk again loomed too large in Rayen's mind for him to accept the Wingly so easily. His musing was interruppted by a voice cutting through the silence.  
  
"What the hell is your problem, anyway?"  
  
It was Kyra.  
  
"My problem? You killed Humans."  
  
"On the contrary, I didn't kill anyone. You and Shade gave yourselves up, and Phil and Dawn didn't fight back. The kid with the Sea Spirit was the only person I hurt at all."  
  
"Well then, let me correct myself. You merely screwed up the rest of his life. He's fifteen years old, for Soa's sake! He doesn't have any parents, what's he supposed to do now?"  
  
"How many monsters have you killed?"  
  
"That's irrelevant."  
  
"Do you know how those monsters came back to Endiness?"  
  
"Yes, they were processed by a lab. So?"  
  
"So, how many of those things were once people? I'm sure they plucked at least one fifteen-year-old orphan of the street to make those beasts, and yet you killed them without a second thought."  
  
"That's something entirely different."  
  
"No, it isn't. How do you know that those things didn't retain human thought? Shade does, even after they experimented on him. What about the other Dragoons you fought and killed?"  
  
"That was in battle. You nailed him with a fireball while his back was turned, for crying out loud!"  
  
"What about when Shade stabbed Emerson through the chest while they were standing in line? He didn't fight back either, and yet you seem to have forgiven Shade."  
  
Rayen glared at Kyra, his fists clenched. She merely returned the gaze cooly. Rayen eventually sighed and relaxed. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right.  
  
"Alright, fine."  
  
"See, was that so difficult?"  
  
Rayen shot her another glare as he got up. She smiled wryly and shrugged.  
  
"OK, maybe it was."  
  
They walked back to the rest of the group.  
  
"OK, here's the plan."  
  
"We have a plan?"  
  
"Shut up, Phil. We need to find those Dragons. I propose we split into two groups. We'd cover more ground faster. Dawn, Shade, and Phil will take the RV. Kyra and I will be the other group. The Dragons have a history of serving us Dragoons, so there shouldn't be a fight."  
  
"What happens if they decide they want a fight anyway?"  
  
Rayen grinned.  
  
"We haul ass, regroup, and figure out a new plan."  
  
"Some plan."  
  
"I never said it was a good one. OK, everyone should get what they need."  
  
Phil, Dawn, and Kyra entered the RV, but Shade stayed behind.  
  
"Why the sudden change of mind?"  
  
"I let her go, but that doesn't mean I trust her. I'm putting her with me so I can watch her. Besides, you and Phil need to start getting along better. I put Dawn with you two so she can stop you both before you can kill each other."  
  
"Ah."  
  
Kyra came out of the RV, and Shade left to join his own RV.  
  
"So, where we headed?"  
  
"Let's find out."  
  
He was glad Dawn had taught him this useful trick. He pulled out his Spirit and focused his mind on the ruby. The ruby projected a perfect map of Endiness, with twenty-seven blinking dots at various places.  
  
"These dots are all beings with an abnormally high level of magic. These five here are us, and the one in the Mountain of the Mortal Dragon is the Divine Dragon, so we can cross that one out."  
  
Six of the dots disappeared.  
  
"Now, each of these sets of three are each element. We can now rule each out by environment. The one in the middle of the ocean are obviously the Sea Dragons, and we have a Sea Spirit but not a Sea Dragoon. The ones in Evergreen Forest are probably Jade, and the trio in the ruined City of Gigantos are most likely Golden."  
  
Nine more dots disappeared.  
  
"I think the three in the Limestone Caves are Dark. With all those eliminated, the most likely place I can see for the Red-Eyes is probably the Barrens Desert near Donau. We should probably head there first."  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
"Can you take us there?"  
  
"No sweat."  
  
They teleported away, preparing for their chat with a trio of Dragons.  
  
Author's Note (again): OK, I realize this one was short, but the last one was pretty long and the next one will be too. 


	26. He of the Crimson Eye

Author's Note: Whee, I get to talk more about Chrono Trigger, because you people ASKED (dum dum dum)!  
  
Chrono Trigger is a Squaresoft RPG for SNES (the last one made with Nintendo before they went to Sony and Playstation). Now, if you don't have a SNES, it would be slightly difficult to find the game, considering they don't make SNES anymore. However, you can download an SNES emulator at www.cherryroms.com and get the Chrono Trigger ROM at http://webpages.charter.net/jimbobwilly2001/. Now, there are laws considering ROMs that you should all know about. Without a real copy of the game, you can't own a ROM for more than a 30-day trial period; or else it is considered piracy. If you play long enough, you can probably finish the game (it's not more than 30 hours) in those thirty days. I'm on like my twentieth day, and I'm just doing the side quests before going to the Black Omen.  
  
Chrono Cross is the sequel to Chrono Trigger, and it was released on Playstation in 1997, making it the first game Sony and Squaresoft made together, a few months before FF7. It didn't sell enough copies for them to consider making a third game (but now that Square is finally going back to Nintendo, where it belongs, we might get lucky). I've never played it, but I've heard it's pretty good.  
  
In my opinion, Magus isn't nearly as good as Frog. Magus has incredible magic, of course, but both his physical attack and defense are low. He has no Double Techs and his both his Triple Techs are with Lucca, who is (IMHO) the worst character in the game. Frog, on the other hand, has amazing attack with the upgraded Masamune, and his physical defense can be pretty damn good too. He can use Water2 and Cure2, and while his magic isn't as good as Magus, it's not bad. He has great Double Techs with Ayla AND Crono, both of the other party members in question, and I'm working on getting their Triple Tech (Ayla just needs a few more skill points).  
  
OK, I know none of you wanted to hear that, but you asked. I'm obsessed. Deal with it.  
  
Chapter 26  
  
"What should we do now?"  
  
"This is better than any opportunity we could have asked for. Release all the monsters currently in the labs. We'll see what the new species can do in action, and the populace will blame the Dragons. No one will ever suspect."  
  
"What about Project Shade?"  
  
"Project Shade is the least of our problems at the moment. He'll be off chasing Dragons, most likely, and even if he was still bent on throwing a wrench into our plans, there's not much he can do."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Rayen and Kyra stood outside the cave where the Dragoon Spirit had led them.  
  
"That's it? It's just a dusty hole in the ground."  
  
"Everything's dusty here. We're in the Barrens, remember?"  
  
"Yeah, but you would think a Dragon would find somewhere more, I dunno, sophisticated."  
  
"To each his own, I suppose."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Hey, what happened to the other two missing spirits?"  
  
"Well, I kept the Sea Spirit ever since we got it back. Shade took the Golden Spirit. I guess it was a sort of trophy or something. It marked him finally getting the revenge he wanted so much."  
  
"Should we find the new owner of the Sea Spirit after we're done here?"  
  
"After we're doing visiting your Dragon as well, I suppose we might as well."  
  
Rayen spat out the phlegm that had built up in the back of his throat and took a long drink of water. He hated the desert. There was no doubt in his mind the cave would be the exact same thing, except darker. He sighed and climbed down the steep slope. Kyra followed, and small clouds of dust were sent whirling by each of their footsteps.  
  
It was pitch black in the cave. Before Kyra got the idea to create a magical light, Rayen tripped and fell, tumbling down the steep rocky slope. He eventually landed with a hard thump on his back.  
  
"Damn!"  
  
Kyra soared down the tunnel instead of walking, the light pulsing gently in her hand, casting eerie shadows on the cave walls.  
  
"Are you hurt?"  
  
"Just my pride. I would have preferred something a little more dignified."  
  
Kyra didn't answer; she just stared ahead, transfixed. Rayen looked up. The three Dragons sat there, unmoving, examining them. Rayen quickly got to his feet. The largest Dragon lifted his crimson-scaled head and regarded them sagely. Rayen felt the ancient wisdom in that stare. This was no fresh hatchling.  
  
"Greetings, esteemed Dragon Knights. You seek our assistance?"  
  
Whatever Kyra and Rayen were expecting, it wasn't that. Rayen was completely blown away, by both the fact that Dragons could speak and that they knew their objective in coming to this Soa-forsaken pile of dirt. The enormous dragon let loose a booming chuckle, which caused the cave walls to reverberate and a layer of dust shook loose from the ceiling, drifting gently down onto their heads.  
  
"I see you are surprised. I have lived a long time, and I know the ways of Humans. Why else would you come to us, the Dragons, your ancient allies?"  
  
His blood-red gaze suddenly grew sorrowful. He pointed his benign triangular head at Rayen.  
  
"I knew the Dragon whose Spirit now rests in your pocket. He was... a dear friend of mine."  
  
Rayen's hand instinctively went to the ruby, and he squeezed it tightly. Kyra managed to salvage enough courage to speak.  
  
"Why aren't you fighting us? I mean, considering what the Divine Dragon did to that forest..."  
  
The Dragon's massive head suddenly swayed from side to side.  
  
"That had nothing to do with us. We didn't even have a choice in coming to Endiness, although I was one of the few that wished to return. I have missed this land greatly since my departure. We were forced to come here, herded like sheep. We dared not oppose the Divine Dragon. Next to him, even the most powerful of our kind such as myself are newborn kittens before a proud lion."  
  
"So you can't help us?"  
  
"Not directly. However, we do have something that may be of use."  
  
He said something Rayen couldn't decipher to one of the smaller Dragons, which Rayen sooned learend was the female, for she backed up and revealed a clutch of three ruby-studded eggs. The other two Dragons must be a mating pair. Rayen realized the magnitude of their gift. They were giving up their youth, the continuation of their race. He nodded.  
  
"Dragons hatch quickly, and grow even faster. You should have a fully capable Dragon within a few weeks. I remember..."  
  
"Who are you, anyway?"  
  
"I am the Grand Red-Eye Dragon. The most powerful Dragoons can call upon my power and use it as their own."  
  
"So you're the Dragon the Fire Dragoons summon?"  
  
"Yes. I will be until I die and another takes over my role."  
  
Rayen noticed upon closer inspection the many scars that marred the crimson scales, scars that had obviously come from centuries of fierce battles.  
  
"How old are you, anyway?"  
  
"I will pass along to the world of the dead soon. My time is limited. As for my exact age, I shall put it this way: You remind me of another remarkable young man. His name was Dart Field. He had a great burden placed upon him, as you do, and like him, I believe you are capable."  
  
Rayen nodded once more.  
  
"You must go now. Time is short. But know this; the ranks of the Dragoons will swell like a spring river, and not all of them will be friendly toward you. Be wary."  
  
"But isn't their only one Dragoon for each element?"  
  
"Contrary to popular belief, that is incorrect. The amount of Dragoons is limited only by the number of Dragon Spirits. During the First Dragoon Campaign, all the Dragons that died in battle against the Winglies had their Spirits taken to help the Humans in the war by increasing the number of Dragoons. Those spirits still remain, waiting for their new masters to find them."  
  
"I see. One last question. Where can we find the Violet Dragons?"  
  
"Ah, let me think for a moment. I believe Lafayan and his protégés took up residence in the mountains near the Human settlement of Rogue. Yes, I remember now. He said he enjoyed the thunderstorms that frequented the mountains due to their height and proximity to the sea."  
  
Rayen and Kyra bowed to the ancient Red-Eye.  
  
"Farewell, Dragon Knights. I look forward to the day we shall meet again." 


	27. The New Generation

Chapter 27  
  
Rayen leapt from boulder to boulder on the almost impassable mountain path. Kyra floated in front of him on the wings of light that spread from her back.  
  
"You getting tired yet?"  
  
Rayen grinned.  
  
"You kidding me? I could do this all day."  
  
"Well, unfortunately, we don't have that much time. So if you don't mind, I'd like to reach the cave by New Year's."  
  
Rayen responded by transforming into a Dragoon. His body glowed crimson for a moment, and then he rocketed up the mile long path in the span of about two seconds. He deactivated his armor, tossed his Spirit into the air, caught it again, and smiled wryly. Kyra warped to the space next to him.  
  
"You were saying?"  
  
Kyra made a gesture in his general direction.  
  
"Last time I checked, using that finger was considered very impolite."  
  
Kyra shrugged, and they both walked into the craggy cave. They walked down the slope for a few minutes, and then they reached the large chamber. Rayen was not as taken aback by the Dragons this time. He noticed some differences between the species, upon closer inspection. The Red-Eye Dragon looked more like what Rayen thought a Dragon would look like, what Dragoon Campaign artists had represented them as, with reptilian bodies, bat-like wings, and two pairs of clawed legs.  
  
While the bodies of the Red-Eyes were sinuous, the Violets preferred a more angular body structure, right down to the ridge of spikes running down the Dragon's spine. Sharp points were all over the Thunder Dragon's body, to the effect that the creature almost seemed like a flying reptilian porcupine. Yet it had a strange grace all its own, that must have came from its bearing, or something else Rayen couldn't guess.  
  
The Grand Violet Dragon regarded them with the same anciently wise gaze that the Red-Eye had given them. They both bowed, and Kyra spoke.  
  
"We came to request..."  
  
"I know. Samovar told all the other Grand Dragons telepathically of your coming. I understand he gave you an egg. We can't let the Red-Eyes outdo us, can we?"  
  
The female nudged an amethyst egg towards them. Kyra scooped it up, and they bowed once again.  
  
"OK, let's go see Sean. You can heal him, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I think so."  
  
"All right."  
  
They appeared outside the hospital that Rayen had dropped Sean off at after the fight with the Sea Dragoon. They walked inside, and found Sean waiting for them in a motorized wheelchair. He pressed a button on the arm of the chair, and he moved towards them. Sean did not appear at all pleased to see Kyra with him.  
  
"What's she doing here?"  
  
"Don't worry, she's on our side now. She can help you."  
  
Sean still seemed doubtful, but he came with them to the outside of the hospital. Kyra whispered a Wingly incantation, and Sean stood up.  
  
"Wow."  
  
"Time to join the club."  
  
Rayen tossed Sean the Sea Spirit. He caught it, grinning.  
  
Nothing happened. The Spirit remained blank. Sean looked up, disappointment etched on his face. Kyra looked regretful as well, knowing she had caused this injury.  
  
"It appears the Spirit has moved on..."  
  
Rayen had a sudden idea.  
  
"Hey, Sean, how would you like to go live with my dad?"  
  
Sean brightened a little.  
  
"You'd have a home and everything. I know it's nothing like coming with us, but..."  
  
"Hey, it's a step up from where I was before now, right?"  
  
Rayen gave Sean a small sad smile.  
  
"Yeah. Come on Kyra, let's go. I need to talk to him about it."  
  
Kyra nodded, and the three disappeared.  
  
Phil plowed through the underbrush, following the invisible call of the emerald. Dawn followed closely behind, using her berdiche to clear the path for Shade, who took up the rear.  
  
"What the hell has gotten into him?"  
  
Shade shrugged, even though Dawn couldn't see him do so. He respected the changes that had come over the Jade Dragoon since the release of the Dragons. He had become more assertive, more responsible. Shade was witnessing a callow recruit becoming a hardened veteran. Phil was not an aspiring fighter before the burden was thrust upon him, like Rayen. Shade supposed he hadn't given Rayen's friend enough credit for what he had done.  
  
Phil charged through more shrubbery to an open clearing. The large hollow trunk of a long-dead redwood stood all alone in the knoll, and sure enough, at the base sat a gigantic Jade Dragon, the mating pair resting among the branches. Phil marveled at the Dragon, which looked almost exactly like the sketches made of the Green Tusked Dragon Feyrbrand more than a thousand years ago.  
  
He looked like a gigantic praying mantis, his segmented legs supported a bulbous abdomen, with a triangular head and two long ivory tusks that were curved just enough so they resembled mandibles, giving the creature a decidedly insectoid appearance. The bat-like pair of wings was folded across the broad back, increasing the resemblance. There was no tail on this Dragon. Phil could not grasp how this creature could manage to fly, but those Dragons didn't get in the branches by climbing. Still, he could tell they preferred to stay on the ground. They approached the Dragons, and bowed.  
  
"Greetings, Dragon Knights. I have received a telepathic message of your coming. Apparently a duo of your friends picked up a Red-Eye and a Violet egg. I suppose you came for one of ours as well."  
  
Phil nodded.  
  
"Well, as reluctant as we are to give up our own youth, we are more than happy to assist in the overthrowing of the tyrannical Divine Dragon. We will help you."  
  
He moved to the side, revealing a nest with three eggs in the tree's hollow. Rearing back onto four legs, he grabbed an egg with his two free forelegs, and scuttled over to Phil, pressing the emerald egg firmly into his arms. The three Dragoons bowed once more, and left.  
  
"Well, that's three down, two to go."  
  
The Grand Jade Dragon watched the three comrades retreat from the grove. He let out a sigh that sounded more like a growl, and plopped onto the grass, his six legs folding beneath his round body. He had watched Endiness for his entire life, curious about the planet that had claimed his father, Feyrbrand. He had seen wars come and go, great warriors rise and fall, armies crushed and renewed again. Nothing was certain in life; he had learned that much. Esmer had probably four clutches of eggs left in her. Was that enough to continue the species? Was he sending one of their own to its death?  
  
"Farewell, Dragoons. Let us hope that our faith has not been placed upon you in vain." 


	28. Black Wings Unfold

Author's Note: I did it. I DID IT, I WON! *jumping up and down* I BEAT CHRONO TRIGGER! Silly Lavos, thinking you can beat me! I AM INVINCIBLE! Even though you had buried yourself in the center of the earth for 65,002,000 years, harvesting DNA from every living thing on the planet so you could evolve and reproduce, spreading your spawn across the far reaches of space, resulting in a cataclysmic end to the universe, I STILL BEAT YOU! So there!  
  
OK, I'm finished. I'm just extremely happy. Next up on my list of video games to beat is Final Fantasy 6... expect more rambling on that game soon!  
  
In response to DDX's review, I'm afraid you're quite mistaken. This fic is nowhere NEAR its end. I'm planning on this going beyond 50 chapters. Yes, I am considering making this into a trilogy story arc. But that is a long time from now, trust me.  
  
Chapter 28  
  
"He ran away from his foster parents. He can't come with us anymore, the Spirit has chosen a new owner."  
  
Sean spoke up at this point. He had been silent through the entire conversation between Rayen and his father.  
  
"They're not my foster parents any more. The doctors at the hospital told me that they gave up their parental rights toward me the night after I left."  
  
"Well, there you go. All the more reason he needs a place to stay. Can he crash here, Dad?"  
  
"I suppose so. I supported you for seventeen years, didn't I?"  
  
"Not alone."  
  
Joseph O'Connor's face darkened.  
  
"True. But your mother is dead now, Rayen. You need to accept that. She has been for two years, and you were fine during that time. Your friend will be fine here with me."  
  
Kyra studied the two from her vantage point against the wall. She had seen Rayen at his mother's grave. She knew he had moved on. But the scar would always be there, just like the milky white slash that blemished his arm.  
  
"All right then, we had better go."  
  
"Are you sure you can't stay?"  
  
"Yes. We need to meet up with the others. Do you mind, Kyra?"  
  
Kyra nodded. They wanted a private conversation, and far be it from her to intrude. There were things that were best unknown by others. She and Sean left, leaving father and son alone. Joseph O'Connor grinned at his son and winked. Rayen knew what that look meant.  
  
"Shut up, you old geezer."  
  
"What? I didn't say anything."  
  
"Yeah, but you were thinking it."  
  
His father smiled again and shrugged.  
  
"How many of them are there?"  
  
"Two."  
  
"Ah, good. Let them fight for a while, right?"  
  
"I believe I told you to shut up at some point previously."  
  
"Probably."  
  
(Exactly what my father would have said, given the circumstances. .-;)  
  
Rayen sighed. The banter veered away to other subjects, and eventually they exchanged a hasty sentimental goodbye. Sean came back in the room, and Kyra waited at the doorway for Rayen.  
  
"Keep in touch."  
  
"We'll come back and visit whenever we get the chance. We might be tied up from now on, at least for a while."  
  
Joseph O'Connor nodded. After a final brief farewell, Rayen and Kyra walked out the door.  
  
"So, can you find them?"  
  
"Easily enough."  
  
"Right. Let's go."  
  
Kyra concentrated for a moment, locating the other group before they disappeared.  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
Phil was more than a little alarmed when Rayen and Kyra suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the back room of the RV.  
  
"Miss us?"  
  
"Hardly. Next time, a little more warning would be nice. Do you guys have your eggs?"  
  
Rayen produced the football-sized egg, its ruby facets winking in the light. He placed it on the small table along with the Jade Egg already resting there. Kyra placed her own next to the other two. They placed various objects on all sides of the trio of eggs, to make sure they weren't jostled off the table if Dawn got into a rough area on the road.  
  
"How long do you think it will be until they hatch?"  
  
"Well, I'm guessing they all laid their clutches at about the same time, so they'll probably all hatch at once also. The Grand Red-Eye said they hatch quickly and grow faster, so we can assume it will be any time now..."  
  
"Limestone Caves, dead ahead."  
  
The motorhome slowed to a stop, and they all got out of the car. Kyra and Dawn created magical lights, and they led the way into the catacombs, their footfalls splashing in the many tiny pools of water. They eventually reached a large chamber, where Rayen stopped. Everyone else continued onward, until they realized they had left him behind. They turned around, waiting for him to catch up. But he merely stood there, gazing at the ceiling.  
  
"What are you waiting for?"  
  
"What do you mean? We're here."  
  
"No we aren't. Have you noticed there aren't exactly any Dragons in the vicinity?"  
  
"Yes there are. Look up."  
  
"So, it's just darkness."  
  
"Exactly. Have YOU noticed that the rest of the ceiling is covered in stalactites?"  
  
As if on cue, the darkness expanded, and three pairs of huge black wings unfolded, revealing the trio of Dark Dragons. The Dark Dragon was quite unique in its body structure. While the other Dragons had some form of arms and legs, the Dark Dragons had no visible appendages whatsoever, except for a long claw of ivory that extended from the underside, from which the Dragons had hung on the ceiling like gigantic bats. Unlike the Jade Dragon, this species undoubtedly felt more comfortable in the air. The serpentine neck turned, and the Dragon gazed at them knowingly.  
  
"Ah yes. Our saviors have arrived."  
  
The voice was cold and bottomless, dully echoing off the limestone walls of the caves. Rayen could sense a hint of sarcasm in that last statement, as though the Dragon didn't approve of delegating such responsibility to mere Humans. However, the female extended her neck to its full length, the egg clutched safely in her jaws. Shade took it, and the three Dragons folded back up again, resuming their rest. It was clear they had nothing else to say. Rayen shrugged, and the Dragoons left the cave.  
  
Little did they know, the Dark Dragon was still watching them.  
  
"We'll see if you are up to your tasks very soon." 


	29. Tensions

Author's Note: Nah, Chrono Trigger wasn't that hard, I just was happy to finally finish it. So yeah. Sorry about the lag between chapters, I ran into a minor case of writer's block.  
  
Chapter 29  
  
"Hey, Rayen? Something's bothering me. What do we DO after we get the last egg? Even with five dragons, we haven't got a hope of standing up to the Divine Dragon."  
  
"To be honest, I have no idea. I suppose we'll cross the proverbial bridge when we come to it."  
  
"How long do you think that proverb is going to work?"  
  
"Beats the hell out of me. Until we run out of luck?"  
  
"You're not much of a strategist."  
  
"I never pretended to be, Phil."  
  
Dawn spoke up at this point.  
  
"Why don't we just ask the Dragon? It will probably know more about the situation than we do."  
  
"Once again, we hear Dawn stating the obvious. Phil, you look too deep into these things. Rayen, you don't look deep enough."  
  
"If you only knew, Shade..."  
  
Rayen said this so quietly even Shade's enhanced hearing couldn't make it out. But he heard something, unlike the others.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Dawn pulled the RV to a stop. She announced their location in a loud voice that rang into the back room.  
  
"Here we are. The Moon Ruins."  
  
The Moon Ruins was where the moon crashed after being destroyed in the Second Dragoon Campaign. The pieces had fallen to Endiness, landing on top of each other and creating a gigantic maze of caves and passageways. It seemed like a perfect place for a Silver Dragon to make its home, which was probably exactly what the Dragons were thinking.  
  
Shade pulled open the sliding door, and then he, Phil, and Dawn filed out of the car, while Kyra went into the bunks to grab her claws. Rayen continued to sit at the small table. When Kyra came back, he was staring transfixed at the four eggs on the table, or maybe he was just staring at nothing in particular, she couldn't tell.  
  
Everyone's got something they keep inside themselves, she thought. Something they keep stashed away that no one else knows. What's he hiding?  
  
"Hey, space cadet. Are you coming or what?"  
  
Rayen jerked from his reverie and looked up before slowly nodding. He got up, shouldered his sword, and walked out. Kyra watched him go out the door before following. She had a feeling there was something going on deep within the Red-Eye, an inner struggle that could result in disaster.  
  
"So, what now? Even with Dragons, we can't defeat the Divine Dragon on our own."  
  
"I suggest you find the Dragon Block Staff."  
  
"But didn't it break into pieces after the Second Dragoon Campaign?"  
  
"Yes. So you'll have to rebuild the pieces. There are seven pieces of the actual staff, and the Grand Jewel completes the artifact. You must locate them all before one of us can rebuild the staff."  
  
"But how the hell do we find them? After a thousand years, they must be strewn about all over the world."  
  
"We can help you there. We can locate them using our magic, and although you obviously haven't discovered it yet, you each have a telepathic link with each of your Grand Dragons. You can contact us when you need a lead on where to find the next piece. The best idea is to divide into groups, to make the search as quickly as possible. Time is not on our side."  
  
Rayen nodded while he studied the Silver Dragon closer. Of all the Dragons he had seen, the Silver Dragon was the closest resemblance to a bird. Its wings were more curved than the bat like wings of the Dark, Red-Eye or Violet Dragons, but they weren't ovular like the wings of the Jade Dragon, or at least how Phil described them. Its head, although scaled, looked a great deal like one of a bird of prey such as a hawk, and its snapping jaws were very beak-like, even though they had needle-sharp teeth. It even had a jutting fan-like plate of scales that seemed like tail feathers until one got a closer look. Dawn clutched the diamond egg in her arms, relishing it like some sacred treasure.  
  
"Go now. You must make haste. We never know when the Divine Dragon may grow murderous again. He may destroy something else before you can stop him."  
  
The five Dragoons nodded and left the Moon Ruins, heading for the motorhome.  
  
"OK, how should we go about splitting up?"  
  
"Two groups or three?"  
  
"I think..."  
  
Kyra's statement was interrupted by a brown shape hurtling out of the bushes nearby, lunging at her. Interlocking both her weapons, she caught and cradled the blow from the monster's very real, very sharp claws. She was contemplating frantically how she could reach her Dragoon Spirit without getting her skull cleaved in two when the beast dissolved into smoke, stinging her eyes and causing her to cough as she inhaled. Rayen withdrew his blade from the air the creature's abdomen had once occupied. Kyra felt hot anger bubble up from within her.  
  
"I don't need rescuing!"  
  
"You're welcome," Rayen said in a flat monotone.  
  
"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, oh fearless leader!"  
  
"Like hell you are," Rayen replied in the same emotionless voice.  
  
Kyra felt like screaming. Did he think she was a defenseless infant? However, he was the only one that had rushed to help her? Were the others more confident in her, or was there some other factor involved?  
  
"Two groups would be best, I think. We don't want anyone stuck alone. I'll go with Rayen, and you, Phil, and Dawn can go in the other."  
  
"Yeah, OK."  
  
Rayen nodded his approval.  
  
"Rayen and I had better take the RV, since Kyra can just warp your group anywhere."  
  
"Makes sense to me."  
  
Shade sighed inwardly; relieved the olive branch had been accepted. He had sensed growing tensions within the group, and time would cool off hot tempers. When he resurfaced to the real world from the confines of his mind, he found that the group had already divided. Rayen was waiting for him in the passenger's seat, a signal that it was his turn to drive. The other group had gone to have a final word with the Dragon before leaving.  
  
Shade sighed again, this time out loud, and hoped that things weren't going to come apart at the seams. 


	30. The Hatching

Author's Note: Yay! I finally updated! I know that took me forever, but I was really busy with schoolwork and stuff.  
  
Chapter 30  
  
The heart of evil pulsed on, spreading its lifeblood of lies, deceit, and betrayal through the veins of the world.  
  
Rayen could feel the sickening heart beat. The vile rhythm of it repulsed him. Malevolent portents were on the rise, that much he could tell. But why? Why could he feel it now? What had caused it come to him?  
  
"Rayen, they're back. We need to give them their eggs before they start off for the first piece."  
  
Rayen turned, and saw Shade looking at him with concern. He nodded and scooped up the football-sized glittering eggs. Shade held the sliding door open as the Red-Eye exited, his face still wearing a bemused expression. Shade stood at the door a long time before following.  
  
Once he reached Dawn, Phil, and Kyra, he tossed each egg to their respective Dragoons. As soon as they reached the arms of their owners, the eggs began to glow with a faint light. Rayen was the only one who didn't seem surprised by this. In fact, he almost seemed like he was expecting it. He turned and lobbed the onyx egg to Shade.  
  
"It's time," he said, in the same flat monotone he had been using for the past two days.  
  
The radiance grew brighter. Tiny spider webs of cracks formed on the ruby surface of the egg. At the exact same moment, the eggs burst apart. The hatchlings were about the size of a small cat. Rayen noticed that the baby Dragons looked exactly like their elder counterparts, except smaller. However, the skin of the Dragon felt leathery in his arms. Obviously the nearly impenetrable scales had not formed yet.  
  
The spiky purple Dragon in Kyra's arms reared its head back and sneezed, sending a shower of violet sparks arcing through the air. The Dragon in Rayen's grasp twisted its serpentine neck to regard him with the crimson eyes from which its name was derived.  
  
"Drag... oon," the Dragon managed to choke out.  
  
Phil stared at the Red-Eye youth with surprise. "They can talk at birth?"  
  
"Apparently so," Rayen murmured, subdued.  
  
Kyra spoke up next. "Well, this is wonderful and all, but we have a job to do. Let's get moving."  
  
"Right. Come on, let's get moving, Rayen."  
  
Shade beckoned to Rayen, who nodded and got up as they headed back to the RV.  
  
"Do you want to drive, or shall I?"  
  
"Go ahead," Rayen muttered.  
  
"Are you alright, Rayen?"  
  
"I'm fine, Shade," Rayen said in a totally unconvincing tone as he pulled open the passenger's door.  
  
Shade, of course, knew better, but he let the matter drop. He inserted the key and revved up the engine. He shouted over the roar of the starting car.  
  
"So, since we're taking the slower mode of transportation, we get the closest shard. Dawn told me it's somewhere in Shirley's Shrine."  
  
"Shirley's Shrine? But that's a major landmark! It'll be crawling with people!"  
  
"Not anymore. With all the Dragons and monsters running around people are afraid to leave their homes. All the tourist attractions have been closed down due to lack of traffic. Not good for the economy, to say the least."  
  
"So there's nobody there? Not even attendants?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
Rayen leaned back in his seat, gazing down at the Dragon at his feet.  
  
"What should we call you?"  
  
"Make it good," the Dragon spoke up.  
  
Rayen cracked a small grin, his first smile in days.  
  
"Alright, I've got one. How about Balaeris?"  
  
Shade raised an eyebrow, which caused it to disappear into his black hood. "What kind of name is that?"  
  
"I like it," the Dragon replied.  
  
"All right then, Balaeris it is."  
  
Shade shook his head, but said nothing further. The Dark Dragon, which had been gliding around the cabin of the motorhome, suddenly stopped, hovering in midair, beating its bat-like wings to maintain altitude.  
  
"What about me? What's my name?"  
  
"Yeah, Shade. Let's see what your creative genius can come up with. Don't pick something stupid like Revenge."  
  
"OK. Razeroth."  
  
"What does it mean?"  
  
"Vengeance."  
  
Rayen groaned while Shade laughed.  
  
"Trust a mutated ninja to come up with a name like that."  
  
"What can I say? My horizons are pretty narrow."  
  
"After what you've been through, you'd think it would be just the opposite."  
  
Shade's face grew dark.  
  
"Too true, my friend. Too true..."  
  
Meanwhile, back at the BOA Corporation (the guys that are making the monsters, I know I haven't said the name of the company before now) Building in Lohan...  
  
There was a knock at the door. As usual, Senior Executive Trega met this interruption with irritation.  
  
"Enter."  
  
The sniveling assistant scampered into the office.  
  
"What do you want? Make it quick, I'm a very busy man."  
  
"Well, I just wanted to report that everything is moving ahead on schedule. The new waves of monster species have been released from our labs all over the world, and..."  
  
"That's wonderful. Now explain to me exactly why you interrupted my important business just to tell me that things are going according to plan."  
  
"Well, I would also like to inquire, on behalf of the research scientists, about Project..."  
  
The timid man was cut off by Mr. Trega's hand slamming down on the expensive mahogany desk he treasured.  
  
"Are you without any semblance of a brain? For Soa's sake, DO NOT speak of that project ANYWHERE outside of the labs. Walls really can have ears. Now get out."  
  
The bewildered assistance quickly ducked out of the office. Trega thoroughly combed the office, and found a tiny recorder beneath the crystal ashtray on his desk. Smashing it between his fingers, he pulled a silver lighter from a drawer on his desk and lit a cigarette before returning to work.  
  
Back with Rayen and Shade in the RV...  
  
The motorhome sped down the spirals of the highway. The infant Dragons were dogfighting about the car, elated in their first experiences of flight. Shade was at the wheel, calmly navigating the vehicle through the sparse traffic. Had the Dark Dragon not been entirely focused on his driving he would have noticed his comrade's unusual behavior.  
  
A harsh, incoherent, and nearly primordial yell jerked Shade from his concentration, sending the RV swerving off the road, drawing loud honks and rude gestures from the other drivers on the road. Rayen was staring ahead, his eyes wide, his breathing ragged, with sweat pouring down his face. Pure, blatant fear, an emotion Shade had never seen Rayen express before, marred his face.  
  
"Shade, can you hear them? Do they call to you?"  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? Snap out of it!"  
  
"They want something, Shade! Something I have, but they don't say what!"  
  
"Who is it? Who's calling?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
  
  
Author's Note: It looks like Rayen's finally gone off the deep end... and what is this mysterious project that has Mr. Trega so concerned about secrecy? What happened to the man who masterminded the Dragons' return? And what about the two Spirits without owners? All of these questions will be answered... eventually. -_-; 


	31. Unseen Foes

Author's Note: OK, I get it. You people like the baby Dragons.  
  
OK, nobody has noticed, but I published a GW fic on Monday. It's called 'And the Meek Shall Inherit the Earth' (Weird title, I know, but when you read the prologue you'll understand), and it's set 102 years after Endless Waltz. It's kind of a cross between GW and Outlaw Star. I'm hoping it doesn't suck too much.  
  
It's my birthday! As of 11:20 this morning (approximately), I am now fourteen. That has no relevance whatsoever to the story. Yay.  
  
Chapter 31  
  
It was dark, abysmally dark. Rayen hated darkness.  
  
This hatred was not due to association between darkness and evil, ever since he met Shade Rayen had long discarded this false notion. It reminded him of his brief period in the world of the dead. He was so afraid then, facing the prospect of wading for years looking for something that might not even be what he expected it to be. He wasn't as solitary as he led others to believe. He knew what it felt like to die, and it was horrible, but not painful, not physical pain one would suffer at the hands of some sadistic demon. It was just lonely, with the promise of a bleak eternity.  
  
Rayen woke up to find Shade looking down at him, with Razeroth hovering beside him.  
  
"Are you OK?"  
  
"I think so... How long have I been out?"  
  
"Two hours, maybe. What happened?"  
  
"There was something in my head. It was speaking. I can't remember what it said, but I know I didn't like it."  
  
"Do you have any idea what it was?"  
  
Rayen shook his head. Now that he was conscious, he was having more and more trouble recalling the incident had ever happened. It was like something was erasing it from his memory and not being very thorough.  
  
"So, where are we?"  
  
"About another four hours from the shrine," Shade replied.  
  
Balaeris glided down and perched himself on Rayen's shoulder.  
  
Rayen nodded. "All right, is it my turn to drive?"  
  
Shade shrugged. "If you want to."  
  
"I think I will. It'll take a load off my mind. I can't worry while I'm driving."  
  
"Wanna bet on that?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
Meanwhile, we go back to Kyra, Dawn, and Phil...  
  
"Man, this place is a pain in the ass," Phil muttered bitterly.  
  
Kyra bent low to avoid hitting her head on a rocky overhang. "I know, but there's nothing we can do about it but get the staff piece and get the hell out of here."  
  
Dawn brought up the rear, her berdiche in hand. "I won't mind leaving this place either. That's the third time we've had to crawl to get through an opening."  
  
"Well, we just have to find the piece, kill whatever's guarding it, and then we can find somewhere more hospitable to go for the next piece," Phil replied.  
  
Dawn looked up at him. "You mean we have to fight something too? I thought we were just supposed to retrieve them."  
  
"Well, something had to bring it here," Phil retorted.  
  
"Maybe it was just washed here by the tides..."  
  
Kyra shook her head. "No, I'm with Phil on this one. It was too deliberate."  
  
"But it have been killed during the Cleansing?"  
  
The Cleansing was the five-year journey taken after the Second Dragoon Campaign by Dart, Shana, Kongol, Meru, and Haschel to exterminate all the monsters left as the aftermath by Melbu Frahma.  
  
"You have to admit, this is a little out of the way. Besides, it might have had some way to fly under the metaphorical radar," Phil explained.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
Phil shrugged. "I dunno, maybe it had some way to conceal itself."  
  
Just then, something unseen slammed into Phil's back, sending him tumbling over the rocks and splashing in the shallow pools. The invisible tormentor struck him again, sending the Jade Dragoon over a shelf of rock and falling into a small lake below.  
  
Kyra swore as she and Dawn transformed. "Shit! How can we fight something we can't see?"  
  
The unseen fiend attacked once more, and Kyra was hit and sent flying into the wall.  
  
"I've got an idea!" Dawn raised her weapon into the air and brought it down sharply, and a brilliant flash of light accompanied the swing, bringing the stalker into sharp relief. Dawn aimed another blow to the serpentine creature, but she missed. The monster had moved before she could react.  
  
By this time, Kyra had gotten up, and was readying an attack of her own. However, the Dragon got there first. While the battle had been going on, the Violet and Silver Dragons had stayed on the sidelines, while the Jade Dragon had left to assist its master. Now, the purple Dragon sniffed the air, locating the creature by means other than sight, and pounced. Its body was a violet missle streaking towards the beast. It sunk its teeth and claws into the beast, latching onto it like a barnacle on a whale's hide. It bobbed up and down in midair, signalling that the serpent was flailing its body in an attempt to remove the bothersome Dragon.  
  
Kyra realized that the Dragon marked the creature's position, so she judged the distance carefully and struck, the steel claws drawing three vivid red lines of blood. The abterration hissed and jerked so violently that the Dragon was dislodged, slamming against the rock wall and falling to the floor, unconcious. But the streaks of blood were like a flashing neon sign, and within another minute, the monster lay dead, its acid-green body finally visible.  
  
"Aw, man. I missed all the action."  
  
A very soggy Phil arrived at the battlefield, dripping from head to toe, the Jade Dragon following obediently at his heels.  
  
"However, I did manage to find this."  
  
He held up the fragment of the Dragon Block Staff. It didn't seem all that remarkable, just a piece of wood no more than five inches long. But upon closer inspection, they realized it was not wood at all, but a strange kind of metal, almost like copper.  
  
"I hope we go somewhere hot next. If I don't get these clothes dry I'll catch hypothermia or something nasty like that."  
  
Dawn smiled, having just finished a telepathic conversation with the Silver Dragon. "Volcano Villude hot enough for you?"  
  
Phil groaned. "Great. So I either freeze or I fry."  
  
Rayen awoke abruptly from his peaceful rest. He felt in his pocket and turned to Shade.  
  
"Take this exit."  
  
"Why? We're still two hours from the Shrine."  
  
Rayen pulled the Golden Spirit from his pockets. It was emitting a dull glow.  
  
"The owner is somewhere around here."  
  
Shade needed no more convincing. He nodded, and steered the car off to the right, taking the exit that would lead them to the new Earth Dragoon.  
  
Author's Note: One piece down, six to go. Yay. 


	32. Oraeus

Author's Note: Ah, my first constructive criticism. I knew I was going to get one eventually. I'm just glad it wasn't a flame. Well, I certainly respect your opinion, but I have a few things I believe you should understand from my point of view.  
  
First of all, I'm glad you liked Phil's comic relief and Shade's hidden angst (which I will go into with a lot more detail later). Shade is one of my own favorite characters, and I'm happy other people can understand the depth I've tried to give him. Secondly, on the point of power. First of all, you have to realize the first 30 chapters have taken place in a relatively short span of time, and they haven't become very experienced as Dragoons yet. Also, although Dart or Rose wouldn't be likely to be blown to pieces by a Virage beam, it would certainly sting quite a bit, and the beam actually just incapacitated Rayen long enough so that it could finish him off. I personally think a thousand-year old Virage would be slightly more powerful than a few inexperienced Dragoons would. Besides which, if I made them invincible, it wouldn't be very interesting, would it? About Dawn, I have to confess that I really haven't gone into much depth on her character, which I feel slightly guilty about and will try to change in the future. I don't know what I was thinking in the whole heirloom thing, but I'll try and figure out a connection later on, she must have kept it hidden for a reason (that's why they didn't notice). Finally, about the continuation. All of my stories turn into epics, unfortunately. I realize I've kind of lost my stride, which is why I'm taking more time in between chapters to really improve the quality of my writing, which, so far, does not appear to be happening. I'm working really hard. Keep in mind, this is my first fic, I'm not an experienced author like you must be, although you'd think 31 chapters would have SOME effect on me.  
  
Now, I hope you don't think I'm counterstriking or anything by writing this. Actually, I was probably going to write something to this effect eventually anyway. You just provided the perfect opportunity and I thank you for that.  
  
As for good books, I am reading more fantasy stories. I like Weis and Hickman, and I'm also reading some R.A. Salvatore that's really interesting (the Crimson Shadow Trilogy, I'm currently on Luthien's Gamble), and maybe some of that creative genius will rub off on me (probably not, but I can hope). OK? Thanks again for the review, I actually needed to get that off my mind.  
  
Chapter 32  
  
"We've been driving around this backwater town for an hour now, and we still haven't found the Dragoon you're so convinced is here," Shade complained.  
  
Rayen turned a hard stare on the black-clad warrior. "What's an hour to us? Besides, are you really convinced that the Dragoon Spirit would deceive us?"  
  
Shade sighed resignedly, knowing that Rayen was right. The Dragoon Spirit was incapable of misleading them when its destined owner was near.  
  
"Whoever it is, it's leaving the town, and it's headed that way, as far as I can tell," Rayen continued. "We should be able to catch up if you would just step on it."  
  
Shade mumbled a half-hearted protest, but he did accelerate, and quickly caught up with the mysterious Dragoon.  
  
"That's him," Rayen exclaimed.  
  
Shade was skeptical. "How can you be sure?"  
  
Rayen arced an eyebrow, because the man wore armor and carried a gigantic double-bladed axe in both hands, which was slung over his massive shoulders. Shade sighed again, and pulled the motorhome into the rut on the side of the road, disturbing a large cloud of dust from its calm residence. Rayen pulled open his door and slid to the ground. He examined the soon-to- be Dragoon, sizing him up.  
  
Rayen immediately knew why this man was walking alone outside of town. He was immense, standing well over six and a half feet tall, with a sloping forehead and earthy features, all of which betrayed his ancestry. He was undeniably half-Giganto, a rare sight in any part of the world. His race was generally ostracized from society, considered barbaric and stupid, because good portions of them were illiterate. This did not seem to apply to this individual, however. He looked in his early fifties, with a penetrating gaze and graying hair about his temples that signified a long life filled with hardship. But he carried himself and his formidable weapon with pride, and Rayen had no doubt he knew how to use the axe very well.  
  
The half-Giganto regarded the Red-Eye's calculating gaze with scrutiny of his own. "Satisfied?"  
  
Rayen seemed rather taken aback by this statement. "By what?"  
  
"By whatever you're judging. Do I fit the qualifications, or am I just another brutish giant?"  
  
"No. Besides, even if you were, it wouldn't matter. You are the only person for the job."  
  
He held up the Golden Spirit, which was shining with renewed intensity. The half-Giganto took it, and it radiated an even stronger glow.  
  
"You are Dragoons? Both of you?"  
  
Rayen and Shade nodded.  
  
"You need me?"  
  
Rayen nodded again.  
  
"Well, who am I to deny destiny? I have no direction anymore anyway. I will come with you."  
  
Rayen sighed with relief. "I don't believe you told us your name."  
  
"I am Oraeus. Now then, tell me your story."  
  
Rayen pulled open the door, and the half-Giganto had to stoop to avoid hitting the ceiling. Shade started the car, and pulled back on the road toward the Shrine. Over the roar of the engine, Rayen began to narrate their tale, wondering all the while what Destiny had in store for them further along the path they had chosen.  
  
Time for a brief scene change...  
  
It was hot, damnably hot, but that was to be expected, due to the fact that they were nearing a very active volcano. The three Dragoons were sweating profusely, and the breeze Phil had conjured had done little to cool them off.  
  
"Man, a Sea Dragoon would come in real handy right now," Phil mumbled.  
  
Kyra looked up. Although she knew Phil hadn't meant to, that remark stung her. There was no Sea Dragoon because of her, and she regretted it just as much as any of the others, possibly more. She had been tricked into thinking she was working for the good of Endiness, when she was really sending to its destruction. But the Dragoons had opened her eyes, and she now knew her past follies, and was now striving to correct those mistakes. She couldn't erase the past, but she could fix it.  
  
After another grueling hour of toil they stood at the lip of the volcano, staring down into its molten bubbling depths.  
  
"If it's down there, somebody else can go and get it," Phil said as he shook his head. "Preferably Rayen."  
  
Dawn shook her head. "Rayen's not here, so we'll just have to get it ourselves."  
  
Phil still wasn't convinced. "How?"  
  
Dawn reached up to the still unnamed Silver Dragon perched on her shoulder. "I don't know."  
  
Kyra stooped low, picking up a large stone from the mouth of the mountain. "I bet there's something in there. Let's wake it up."  
  
She hurled the stone into the heart of the volcano, where it struck the lava with a small splash, liquefying almost instantly.  
  
"Well, that did a lot," Phil remarked dryly.  
  
As if on cue, the volcano erupted, sending what looked like a shower of molten rock into the air. The Dragoons stumbled backwards, but the eruption was not what it appeared. Birds hovered in the air above the volcano, their bodies wreathed in crackling flames.  
  
Phil was the first to regain his composure. "I really hope I've got double vision or something, because there should NOT be that many of those things."  
  
Dawn gasped once she got to her feet. "There's a whole pack of them!"  
  
Phil took this opportunity to imitate his former English teacher from Lavitz Slambert High School, which seemed like eons ago to the Jade Dragoon. "Actually, I believe a group of Fire Birds would be referred to as a flock."  
  
Kyra was already preparing her Dragoon Spirit. "Save your sarcasm for later, Phil. At least then we'll know we're alive."  
  
Author's Note: Yes, every fantasy story has to have both a senile old geezer and a guy with a really big axe, but I take both and make one character out of it! Go me! 


	33. The Shrine of Shirley

Author's Note: Aerena, if you're upset over the ending to Summer Flame, I suggest you check out the War of Souls trilogy, starting with Dragons of a Fallen Sun. Yes, I do read Dragonlance, I've read over 20 of them. Weis and Hickman are still my favorite authors of the bunch, though.  
  
By the way, I've been getting a lot of reviews concerning this subject, and the new Sea Dragoon WILL be female, although I don't know much else about her yet.  
  
I also redid my bio, because the first one was just filled with quotes that were only cool when I first wrote them. The novelty wore off after a while, so I changed it. Now it tells a little more about me.  
  
In response to ssp47's latest reviews, I did get Rose and Albert up to Dragoon Level 5, but I have to admit I didn't really pay much attention to their summons. .; I only really watched the Dark Dragon Summon once, and it looked to me like it had two wings, no arms or legs, and that claw that extended from the bottom that sliced that shining line. As for the Jade Dragon, I never really watched it, figuring it would just look like Ferybrand anyway. Besides which, Ferybrand was cool anyway! What's wrong with the Jade Dragon being like Ferybrand? In the battle scene, Rayen killed the Sea Dragoon when he had the pillar of fire erupt beneath him. That would probably kill a guy, and I also mentioned at some point that his opponent was reduced to a pile of armor and a skeleton. Kyra just warped there out of nowhere, which, judging by Lloyd, Winglies are prone to do. She came, she left, she came back, and then she smacked Sean with a fireball and took the Sea Spirit. I thought it was simple enough to understand, but I tend to confuse a lot of people. I hope that clears up a few things. I'm rambling again. *smacks self*  
  
Chapter 33  
  
Kyra made a swift mental count of the avian adversaries as her Dragoon transformation commenced. Eleven, she concluded as the violet streaks of lightning surged around her, forming the legendary magical armor of the Dragoons, and the largest in the center made twelve. Kyra had heard that during the Second Dragon Campaign, Dart and the other Dragoons had fought a similar creature. The original Fire Bird must have laid its eggs in the volcano, where they escaped detection during the Cleansing. Only a millennium could produce such a large group of these mythological monsters, for they were long-lived but slow to breed, and she could that all of the dozen Fire Birds were adults. She wondered dimly where the staff fragment was hidden, but that would come later.  
  
Phil had been the first to recover after the eruption, and his transformation was already finished. He twirled his spear deftly between his fingers. "I don't you about you ladies, but this is certainly not my idea of a tropical vacation."  
  
"I believe I told you earlier to save the sarcasm until after the fight."  
  
Phil shrugged. "Since when have I listened to anything you've told me?"  
  
Kyra sighed. "True enough."  
  
With a brilliant flash of electricity, Kyra's transformation completed, and the three Dragoons kicked off the lip of the volcano and engaged the dozen Fire Birds, each heading for a different target.  
  
Phil attacked the largest Fire Bird first, deducing that it would wreak the most havoc if left to its own devices. He lunged at it with his spear, only to meet a burst of flame from the monster's beak. Although the magical Dragoon armor prevented most of the damage, the sensation was still not pleasant.  
  
"Man, I better be getting a tan from this!"  
  
Dawn shook her head, ducking as a Fire Bird swooped low at her, attempting to seize her skull in its talons. It was so like Phil to crack a joke while being blasted by a jet of flame. She jabbed upwards with the thrusting tip of her berdiche, dispatching her opponent with relative ease.  
  
Phil responded to the largest bird's attack by landing on its back. He shoved his spear through its spine, severing the cord and killing it instantly. Kyra fired a bolt of purple lightning at her opponent, splitting the unlucky creature's head in two. Dawn blocked another bird's talons with the wooden haft of her berdiche, and then she reversed her stroke, lopping off the monster's head with the weapon's broad blade. The remaining eight Fire Birds hesitated slightly, taken aback by the sudden death of their comrades.  
  
But it was too late for them to retreat back to the safety of their volcano now. Kyra rushed forward, quickly slicing open another two of the monsters, while Dawn sent another two reeling out of the air with a searing flash of light. Phil gathered the wind about him, preparing a spell.  
  
"Wing Blaster!"  
  
He focused the air into a bird-like shape, and launched it into the space between the four remaining guardians of the staff piece. It exploded, sending speeding winds whipping around the Fire Birds, extinguishing the flames that wreathed their bodies and their lives with them. He touched down on the mouth of the volcano, his jade armor fading with a pale green light.  
  
"OK, we've taken care of the flock of flaming chickens. Now what? We still don't know where the fragment is."  
  
Kyra activated her light wings and dove into the volcano, despite protests from the other two Dragoons.  
  
Phil watched her dive down into the depths of the mountain. "Has she got a death wish or something?"  
  
On the contrary, Kyra knew exactly what she was doing. During the fight, she had glimpsed a narrow shelf of rock on the inside of the volcano. Upon inspecting it, she did indeed discover the second piece of the staff, seemingly unharmed by the intense heat of the molten rock below. She flew out of the accursed mountain, the shard clenched triumphantly in her clawed fist.  
  
She turned to the others. "Alright, where to next?"  
  
Phil jerked his thumb at Dawn. "She's talking to the Dragon right now."  
  
Dawn looked up to regard the other two. "The next piece is located in the Snowfield."  
  
Phil groaned. "Wonderful. I hope the next piece is in an area where temperatures are between the boiling and freezing points. First I get chucked into a lake in the Undersea Cavern, and now this."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Rayen finally finished narrating the previous events to Oraeus. "So that's why we're here."  
  
The half-Giganto sat at the table; his chin rested on his hands, which were folded on the butt end of his axe. "Well, it certainly is an interesting story."  
  
Shade spoke up. "It sure is. Plus, it passed the time. We're finally here."  
  
Rayen unbuckled his seat belt. "It's about time."  
  
Once inside the shrine, Rayen was somewhat surprised. He thought that a monument dedicated to a former Dragoon would be a place of order. But the shrine seemed almost chaotic, with mazelike passages and twisting slides. Rayen wondered what they had in mind when they had constructed this building. The trio slowly navigated their way through the labyrinth. The passageways were decorated with ancient murals engraved into the stone. After a long and exhausting trip, they finally reached the top of the shrine. There, on a round slab of stone, lay the shard.  
  
"Weird. I wonder who brought it here," Shade mumbled as they all approached the area.  
  
Suddenly, Rayen fell to his knees with a hoarse cry. He clutched his temples, occasionally yelling out incoherent exclamations of agony. Finally, after several minutes, he collapsed unconscious.  
  
Shade rushed to the fallen Red-Eye's side. "Shit, it's happened again!"  
  
Suddenly, Shade and Oraeus felt a strangely relaxing presence wash over them, and a look of peace came to Rayen's unconscious face. Shade looked up, and found himself staring into the eyes of Shirley, the Silver Dragoon who had been dead for over 12,000 years. 


	34. Three Roaming Ghosts

Author's Note: I haven't read Well of Darkness or Icewind Dale, but I have a friend who read Icewind Dale and is a total Drizzt freak. I would borrow the book from him, but unfortunately he's been living in Kazakhstan for the past three years and only comes back to visit for about a week each summer.  
  
In response to Regrem Erutaerc's reviews, I'm pretty sure there won't be a Red-Eye/Divine fusion. There might be some other fusion characters, I don't really know yet. About the reviving of past Dragoons, I've already brought back Shirley; maybe there are others on the way. I'm not telling.  
  
The reason I update so quickly is that I have nothing better to do with my time.  
  
Chapter 34  
  
Shade stood up, regarding the long-dead Silver Dragoon with a curious stare. "I thought you had departed for heaven a thousand years ago."  
  
"I did. But I have always maintained a strong spiritual connection with this place, built in my own name. I was able to travel from the world of the dead."  
  
"World of the dead? That doesn't sound much like heaven."  
  
"It isn't. There is no heaven, or at least if there is, we weren't there. The world of the dead is empty, filled only with souls. It is endless, as undoubtedly your friend could tell you. He came for a brief visit, if the news I received was reliable."  
  
Shade nodded. "So, do you know what's wrong with him?"  
  
"Yes. There is an evil force attempting to seize control of him."  
  
"Who would do that, and why?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious? They want to sabotage your quest. Your mission is conflicting with their objectives, whatever they are. They're attempting to destroy your group from within, by breaking you apart."  
  
Oraeus spoke up at this point. "Then wouldn't it make more sense to attack us all at once?"  
  
Shirley shook her head. "It's not that simple. They can only access someone's mind through part of themselves that they had willingly given up."  
  
Shade raised an eyebrow. "So Rayen gave something that was really important to him away to someone else and the bad guys got their hands on it?"  
  
"More or less."  
  
Shade sighed. "It would be so easy if he was missing a finger or something obvious like that. Did he tell you about anything like that, Oraeus?"  
  
The half-Giganto shook his head. "No, or at least not directly."  
  
"Keep in mind that it may not be a physical possession. It could be emotional as well."  
  
Now it was Shade's turn to shake his head. "He would never fess up to something like that. Let's hope it's not emotional or we'll never get it out of him."  
  
"I must be going. I cannot keep a material body for much longer. I will come back if there is any more substantial advice I can give you."  
  
Shade and Oraeus paid their final respects to the Silver Dragoon before she departed back to the world of the dead. After she was gone, Rayen stirred and sat up.  
  
"What the hell happened?"  
  
Oraeus and Shade filled Rayen in on what had happened during his incapacitation. When they spoke of him giving up a part of himself, a blank look crossed Rayen's face.  
  
"I can't think of what that would be... a part of myself..." Rayen shook his head.  
  
"Well, let's not worry about that now. The next piece is in the forest."  
  
Rayen blinked. "If there was a piece in the forest, why didn't we just get that one first and then go to the Shrine?"  
  
Shade shook his head. "Because that forest is totally impassable by road. We have to go on foot from here."  
  
Rayen pocketed the staff fragment and the three Dragoons left the Shrine, leaving the spirit of a 12,000-year-old Dragoon behind them.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Although the Snowfield was a very small area, only a few yards long, a brutal blizzard swept the plain, making progress almost impossible. After several hours of grueling labor, they managed to reach the mouth of a small cave.  
  
Phil yelled over the roar of the wind. "Maybe the piece is in there!"  
  
Kyra nodded, although it was difficult to see her through the perpetual shower of frost. "Even if it isn't, we can't go much farther in weather like this!"  
  
They dragged themselves inside the dry cave and discarded all of the superfluous layers of clothing that had protected them from the blizzard, which were no longer necessary away from the biting chill. A small fire crackled solemnly in the center of the cave. Phil plopped down onto the cave floor.  
  
"Damn it, we're going to one bad climate after another. I wish that just once during my life, I could visit a perfect place. You know, like a paradise. A utopia."  
  
Before the two girls could respond, a hollow voice sounded from a corner near the fire. "I was a lot like you once. I wanted to see our world become a utopia. Only just before my death I realized that utopia was not what it seemed."  
  
The three very alarmed Dragoons whipped around. In the corner sat a man in metallic winged armor, his silver hair spilling down his shoulders. Kyra recognized him immediately, for he was a legendary figure in the history of their race.  
  
"It's impossible. You're dead. You have been for over a thousand years."  
  
The famous, or by some standards infamous Wingly Lloyd nodded. "I am. But I didn't see fit to leave quite yet."  
  
Dawn looked curiously at the Wingly. "Why did you appear for us?"  
  
"Just to give you a message. Heaven, utopia, and perfection, they are all lies, concocted by minds hungry for an excuse to strive for something they don't truly understand."  
  
Kyra tried to speak. "I don't understand. You sat in this cave for a millennium just to give us a ten second message?"  
  
"Yes, but heed it well. It may be your salvation... or your undoing."  
  
With that, the Wingly disappeared, and the fire extinguished. In the pile of ash, the fifth piece of the Dragon Block Staff lay glimmering in the low light coming from the mouth of the cave entrance.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Sean tossed and turned in his sleep, reliving experiences he had buried deep within his façade of determination and toughness.  
  
"You ran away again, you asshole! Do you realize how bad we look when the cops have to bring you back every two days?"  
  
Sean heard his own voice echoing throughout the confines of his mind. "If I made you all look like jackasses, so much the better!"  
  
"You ungrateful little bastard! We took you off of the streets, and you've never shown an ounce of gratitude!"  
  
"I'd rather live on the streets than live in under constant tyranny!"  
  
"Shut up, you son of a bitch! I'll teach you some respect!"  
  
He relived the blow that had been delivered, and his hard fall to the ground. The strokes continued to rain down on his back, beating him into submission. He had escaped, ran to the graveyard, where he had met Rayen for the first time.  
  
Suddenly, the scene disappeared. Sean stood alone in a void of emptiness. Almost as suddenly as his own arrival, a pale-skinned woman in purple armor appeared next to him. When she spoke, her voice was hollow and echoing, as if it was only a shadow of what it had formerly been.  
  
"Your friends will be in need of you soon. They will come back upon completion of the Dragon Block Staff, and you must come with them."  
  
"Who are you? What if they don't listen to me?"  
  
The woman tossed her long black hair in impatience. "My identity is irrelevant, at least for now. You must convince them. Due to the Dragon Block Staff, their own Dragoon powers will be rendered useless. Therefore, you can be of assistance even though the Sea Dragon no longer accepts you as its owner. If they need further convincing, give them this."  
  
A strange ornament appeared in the woman's hand. It was a small Dragon's skull, with the lower jaw missing. Sean took it without really understanding what it was. Rayen and his friends could probably tell him about it later.  
  
"Do not worry. You will not be forced to watch from the sidelines for much longer."  
  
With this somewhat ominous statement, the woman returned to the void and Sean awoke, the Dragon skull still clamped tightly in his fist. 


	35. The Dragon Block Staff

Author's Note: Yes, Lloyd, Shirley, and Rose are back. They get to help! Yay! Anyway, the reason there's no Divine Dragoon Spirit is because the Divine Dragon isn't dead yet. No, Rayen isn't really all right, considering that there is some evil thing trying to take over his mind. But they'll figure it out eventually, I HOPE... *cackles*  
  
Chapter 35  
  
Kyra, Phil, and Dawn stood outside the ruins of the Black Castle. After the Second Dragon War, Serdians had torn down the castle, elating in their victory. However, nobody had the motivation and the manpower to remove the rubble until centuries later. By that time, historians had wanted to declare the site a national landmark. People had argued that it was a landmark of a different nation, a dead one, but the historians had won by declaring it a historical excavation site. Thus, the ruins remained, despite grumbling by the Serdian government. It was there that the sixth piece of the Dragon Block Staff lay, according to the Dragons.  
  
Phil groaned upon sight of the remains. "Man, are we going to have to dig through all of this crap?"  
  
"Yes, and very discreetly at that. If anyone catches us tunneling through this, the story will be out," Kyra replied.  
  
They spent the next two hours sorting their way through the rubble, a thoroughly vexing process, until Phil finally found the piece.  
  
Dawn straightened when Phil called out his discovery, her clothes and hair covered with soot. "Great. Now we can leave."  
  
"Hey! What are you kids doing?"  
  
Phil's triumphant shout had roused some of the workers nearby, and they were carefully picking their way up the rubble, headed towards the three Dragoons.  
  
Phil swore. "Shit. All right, Kyra, unless you have a very plausible reason for us not to haul ass, I suggest you use your happy little Wingly magic to get us out of here. Now would be a very good time."  
  
Kyra smirked. It was finally her turn to pay the Jade Dragoon back in full for the grief he had caused earlier through his practical jokes. Phil was the one stuck with the staff piece, and the historians couldn't prove that she and Dawn were in league with him. "Hmm... I don't know..."  
  
"JUST DO IT ALREADY!"  
  
Both girls enjoyed a good laugh before they left, leaving a pair of very confused excavators in their wake.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Rayen, Shade, and Oraeus stomped through the dense foliage of the forest, searching for the final piece of the staff. Rayen pushed a large fern out of their way, only to find an open clearing with a fallen oak and gigantic spider webs covering huge holes in the earth. The three Dragoons paced around the clearing, studying it.  
  
"Well, this is quite a scene," Oraeus commented.  
  
"Indeed," Rayen agreed, walking over to examine the giant silvery webs. As he stood on one to test its resiliency, it collapsed, plunging him into the pit beneath him.  
  
"That was not a very good idea," Shade muttered.  
  
Rayen's voice came out of the pit. "Hey guys! I found the last piece!"  
  
Shade walked over to the mouth of the hole. "Great, now why don't you get your rear in gear and get out of that hole?"  
  
"Probably a good idea, considering that wasn't the only thing I found in there." Rayen scrambled out of the pit, the green gem of the Dragon Block Staff clutched in his fist.  
  
Shade stared down at the Red-Eye Dragoon. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Rayen merely pointed into the hole as he got to his feet, drawing his blade from its sheath on his back. Three gigantic bulbous spiders scuttled out from the pit, their myriad eyes blinking ominously.  
  
Shade sighed. "That would explain the webs. I should have known."  
  
Rayen gripped the hilt of his blade. "These things don't look so tough. I bet we could beat them without changing into Dragoons."  
  
Oraeus shook his head. "Never underestimate your enemy. Always fight your hardest, because if given an inch, your opponent will take it."  
  
Rayen shrugged and activated his Dragoon Spirit, the flames that would form his crimson armor surging from the ruby.  
  
The three Dragoons completed their transformations and launched themselves at the giant arachnids. Oraeus cleaved one in two with his axe, while Shade sliced off another spider's head and Rayen dispatched his opponent with a fireball. Within a few minutes, the trio of spiders lay dead, their blood and guts splattered all over the area. The Dragoon armor faded with a flash of red, brown, and black light.  
  
Rayen turned to the half-Giganto, smirking. "See? I told you it would be easy."  
  
Oraeus put on a stern face. "Just because you're a Dragoon doesn't mean you can flaunt that power which the Dragon has so graciously granted you. You're still relatively inexperienced, and you need to be prepared for an enemy that may test your limits."  
  
Shade interrupted the argument. "I've talked to the others via the Dragons. They should meet us here in a few minutes and then we'll go get this staff fixed."  
  
Rayen nodded. "Right. Then we'll bump off that divine pain in the ass once and for all."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Moments later, all six Dragoons stood in the depths of the cave in the Barrens where the Red-Eye Dragons made their temporary home. The seven pieces of the Dragon Block Staff lay assembled on a slab of granite before the Grand Red-Eye. The gigantic Dragon examined them closely. Finding them to his satisfaction, he began the work. He sucked in a deep breath and exhaled a large plume of white-hot flame, melting the metal to begin the reconstruction.  
  
His booming voice echoed throughout the cave. "Ironically, the Winglies made the Staff so that only the breath of a Red-Eye Dragon could melt it. I suppose they thought they would activate the Staff before the Dragon got a chance to use its breath weapon."  
  
When the metal was cool enough to touch, but still malleable, the Dragon reached down with his gigantic claws, molding the staff with surprising dexterity for a creature so huge. The Dragon shaped the metal until it was returned to its original shape, then beat his enormous wings, conjuring up a breeze to cool the Staff and make it solid once more. Once it was finished, the Grand Red-Eye motioned for Rayen to pick it up. Rayen walked over to the slab and lifted the staff, feeling the ancient magical power that radiated from it.  
  
The Dragon Block Staff was whole once again.  
  
Samovar suddenly jerked his head upward to the ceiling of the cave. "The Divine Dragon awakens. He is heading for a Human settlement. You must go."  
  
All the Dragoons were caught completely off guard. "What?"  
  
"Go! Now!"  
  
After the initial moment of total shock, the Dragoons recovered. They bolted out of the cave, transformed, and flew into the air, trying to get a view of the Dragon. Sure enough, the horrible seven-winged behemoth was plowing through the air.  
  
Rayen swore. "Shit! It's headed towards Furni!"  
  
Furni had grown into one of the largest metropolises in Millie Seaseu. It was the center of sea trade with Tiberoa and Serdio. Rayen couldn't imagine the kind of damage the Divine Dragon could cause with Furni as his playground.  
  
Rayen suddenly remembered something. "Wait! We need to deactivate our armor! If the people see us as Dragoons, our secret will be out, and they'll just freak even more!"  
  
The other five Dragoons nodded their assent and landed, with their armor disappearing. Kyra teleported them to the outskirts of Furni, where they rushed into the city as fast as they possibly could.  
  
They were too late.  
  
The Divine Dragon hovered over the city, enjoying the screams of terror emanating from the streets below. Then the gigantic blue-white beam sliced through the metropolis, obliterating all of downtown. Satisfied, the sadistic monster retreated to his home in the Mountain of the Mortal Dragon.  
  
The six Dragoons stood among the destruction, staring out at the annihilated buildings. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people were dead, and many more had lost their homes.  
  
"DAMN IT!" Rayen slammed his fist the remains of a wall; cracking the brick and splitting open his knuckles in the process. He tried to find more words to express his rage and frustration, but could not relay them. Then he noticed the gleam from his pocket. He reached in, and pulled out the Sea Spirit, glowing dully. He held it up in disbelief.  
  
Just then, a small shape crawled out from underneath a piece of wreckage, coughing. It stood up, and the Dragoon realized it was a girl. She looked no older than fifteen years old. Her hair would have been brown had it not been streaked with soot, and her eyes matched her hair perfectly. She noticed the group standing amongst the scene, and noticed the shining stone clutched in Rayen's hand. Her curiosity piqued, she ambled over to the group.  
  
"What's that?" She touched the stone, and it shone still brighter.  
  
"It is the Spirit of the Sea Dragoon, and it has chosen you as its next master," Rayen replied.  
  
The girl's eyes widened. "So you guys are Dragoons?" They all nodded. "You're going to beat the crap out of whatever that thing was, right?" More nods came from the group. "Great! Count me in! Besides, I can't stand to be around this place any longer." She grabbed the stone and took off at a dead run, only stopping when she realized the other Dragoons weren't following. "What are you deadbeats waiting for? For it to destroy another city? Let's go!"  
  
Kyra stared at the blood running down Rayen's hand. It reminded her of something, something important, but she couldn't fathom what it was.  
  
Phil turned to Rayen. Rayen couldn't recall the Jade Dragoon looking more solemn than he did now, not even at his mother's funeral two years ago.  
  
"Soa help us," was all Phil said, all he really needed to say. Whether he was speaking of the over-energetic new Dragoon or the upcoming battle with the Divine Dragon, Rayen couldn't say.  
  
Author's Note: There. There's your hyperactive Sea Dragoon. I hope you're all pleased with her, because she's going to keep me awake at night. She reminds me too much of Meru. Meru scares me, I'm serious! I keep having nightmares about her overdosing on speed and coming to get me, with bloodshot eyes, and that huge hammer... *shudders* 


	36. The Lord of Dragons

Author's Note: You're in for a special treat today, kiddies! This chapter is our Super-Deluxe-length Humungo Boss Fight! Yay! This chapter's Humungo Boss is none other than everyone's favorite seven-winged bringer of destruction, the Divine Dragon! Enjoy, and don't forget to review!  
  
Oh, and Regrem Erutaerc, don't worry about it. I have some futher plans laid out for my little pawns... *insert diabolical chuckle here*  
  
Another question for you, esteemed readers. What the heck is a muse, and how can it go off and get drunk? I've only been a ff.net author for two months, I still don't know all the abbreviations and stuff like that.  
  
Chapter 36  
  
"Before we go, I need to speak with my father," Rayen told the group.  
  
The new Sea Dragoon stomped her foot impatiently. "What for? So that the Dragon can go destroy another city?"  
  
Rayen shook his head. "The Dragon is satisfied with the carnage he has already evoked, at least for now. He will not return until his thirst for blood is aroused once again."  
  
The rest of the group reluctantly consented, and they were outside Rayen's home in seconds, courtesy of Kyra's Wingly magic. Rayen entered the house, calling out for his father.  
  
"He's not here. But I am."  
  
Sean slid down the stair banister, his ranseur in hands, looking as if it had been freshly sharpened.  
  
Rayen sighed in exasperation. "Do you know where he is?"  
  
Sean shrugged. "I didn't bother to ask. Listen, I want to come with you."  
  
Rayen's response was so automatic he didn't even have to consciously think about it. "Forget it."  
  
Sean clenched his fist in anger. He had suspected Rayen would have this attitude. "Why not?"  
  
"Because you're not a Dragoon anymore."  
  
"That doesn't matter now! When you use the Dragon Block Staff, your Dragoon Spirits will be useless! You'll have to fight in human form, so I can help! I've been practicing with this," Sean indicated his weapon.  
  
Rayen was surprised at the former Dragoon's resolution. "How did you know about that?"  
  
"Your dad told me."  
  
Rayen sighed. "Figures." He considered the situation, searching for a plausible reason not to allow Sean to join them. He found none, so he threw up his hands in defeat. "Fine."  
  
The effect was instantaneous. Sean rushed out the door with an exclamation of triumph. Rayen followed, wondering if he would regret his decision later. With a hurried explanation, he motioned to the group, and they disappeared, off to a battle that may decide the fate of Endiness.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
The seven Dragoons and Sean stood on a large shelf of rock overlooking the Mountain of the Mortal Dragon, its superheated depths bubbling in anticipation of fresh blood in their midst. The eight companions drew their weapons, and Rayen clutched the ancient staff of the Winglies in his hand, drawing confidence from the magical strength that throbbed through the metal. He looked up at the sky, clouded with the smoke from the volcano, and he felt the Red-Eye Dragon's presence in his own mind. Words flooded his brain, and he shouted them aloud, an ancient challenge of power from the language of Dragons.  
  
The Dragon, in his arrogance, would not refuse an open defiance of his might. With a gigantic spout of molten rock, the colossus emerged, landing on the shelf, his presence filled with menace. Rayen acted immediately, hurling the staff into the air. Again an incantation flowed into his mind, and he spoke it, without knowing what they truly meant. The Dragon Block Staff shattered, fulfilling its purpose in creation by the Wingly society over 12 millennia ago, spreading its powerful enchantment over the area. The Dragon roared in pure frustration and anger as he felt his power drain from his body, sucked away by a spell he remembered well, a spell that had caused his ancestor's destruction over a thousand years ago.  
  
Rayen brought his left hand to join his right on the hilt of his sword, which he gripped tightly, until his knuckles turned white. This was it, he realized. There would be no turning back now. They would either defeat this reptilian tyrant or die in the process, for the Dragon would allow no retreat. Rayen didn't want to go back there, and he wouldn't give up without being a serious pain in the Dragon's scaly ass.  
  
The eight warriors divided and hurled themselves at the Lord of Dragons, and the struggle for the future of Endiness commenced.  
  
Sean brought one of the five prongs of his weapon across the Dragon's flank, drawing forth a thin line of crimson. He dodged the Dragon's sweeping tail, and he felt the adrenaline surge through his body, and he elated in the thrill that rushed through him. This was what he was meant to do, and what he wanted to do. If he did nothing else in his life, he would not have any regrets. If he could by any means convince Rayen and the others to allow him to follow any longer, by Soa and the Divine Tree, he would.  
  
The girl from Furni brought her hammer against the scaly shell of the Dragon, making up what she lacked in technique with pure energy and rage, taking her revenge on the beast that destroyed her way of life, catapulting her into this mess. She had always thought her old life was boring, and would have done anything to go and see the world, but now that the weight of Endiness was on her shoulders, she wished she could have just gone back to the way things were. The spirits of the normally cheerful Sea Dragoon were dimmed this day, like the smoke that hovered above them, choking the sun and overcasting its life-bringing luminescence.  
  
Oraeus brought his heavy axe smashing down on Dragon, mustering all the strength that his Giganto heritage had granted him. He had vowed upon being outcast from society to bring justice in any way he could, and the Golden Dragoon could find nothing more justified than sending this horrendous beast back to the void where he belonged. He saw the huge claw threatening to slice him in two, and, not having the agility to dodge, he heaved up the heavy oak handle of his axe, blocking the stroke. He took this opportunity to swing his blade at the Dragon's front leg, hoping to cripple the monster. Although the Dragon reared his massive head in pain, the vicious stroke that knocked Oraeus off his feet signaled that the half-Giganto had not accomplished his task.  
  
Kyra flew over and around the Divine Dragon's head, slashing at his head and neck with the steel claws that were attached to her hands. She had contributed to bringing this fiend back to Endiness, and now she would contribute to sending it back. She swooped and weaved through the air, maneuvering around the Dragon's snapping jaws, proving that she was an irritant to be reckoned with.  
  
Shade snapped both his blades back and forth in a deadly rhythm along the Dragon's left flank. Every so often he jumped over or rolled beneath the sweeping tail, but for the most part he was left alone, for the Dragon was preoccupied with other targets, mostly Kyra, for she was obviously aggravating the creature to no end, like a fly the Dragon longed to swat. Shade never tired, even after scoring the Dragon's hide countless times, for he finally felt like he was accomplishing something worthwhile. For ten years he had walked the darkest, most sinister paths in the world, because he had nowhere else to go. Now, he had a choice, and he would be further damned if he was going to let it slip away again.  
  
Phil was attacking the Dragon head-on, and therefore getting the brunt of the reptile's counterassault. He jumped over a sweep of the behemoth's claw, an attempt to knock both he and Rayen, who was fighting on his right, off their feet. The normally light-hearted Jade Dragoon was now very serious, for even he understood the weight of this battle against the future of... well, everything. He stabbed the point of his spear into the Dragon's front left leg, causing the drake to hiss in irritation. The Dragon swung his massive head at the Wind Dragon Knight, meaning to knock him off, but Phil dodged again and jammed the tip of his weapon into the titan's neck. This time, however, the Dragon's claw made contact, dislodging his spear and sending him hurtling into a nearby boulder. The Jade Dragoon fell to the ground, momentarily stunned.  
  
Rayen, furious at the Dragon's brutality, drove his blade into the giant's massive chest. He withdrew his sword quickly, and rolled beneath the claw that once again endeavored to beat him into submission. Again he struck, and this time the leg came crashing down from over his head, meaning to squash him flat. He jumped to the side, then leapt on top of the claws, scoring a hit on the knee. Wasting no time, he jumped once more, bringing his sword up to deal a blow to the Dragon's central eye.  
  
This was exactly what the Dragon wanted. Too late Rayen noticed the telltale azure gleam in the Dragon's eyes. The Dragon had fooled him, with the cold calculating intelligence built up over centuries of experience, which the shrewd beast had masked with his open sense of ruthlessness. He was given those opportunities to attack, for the Dragon meant to take one of these annoying insects out once and for all. Now that he was airborne, he had no hope of dodging the magical onslaught that would follow. This... is going to hurt, Rayen thought to himself.  
  
The blue-white beam sliced through the air, colliding with the Red-Eye Dragoon in midair. Unbelievable pain exploded in his skull, and his body began to convulse even before his back was slammed into a sheet of rock. He crashed to the platform of rock on which the battle was waged, dazed from the blow. Even with the Dragon Block Staff channeling most of the power out of the Dragon, the power contained within that beam was tremendous. Rayen managed to pull out one of the healing potions Dawn had taken the precaution of making before the brawl, and downed it in one gulp. Rayen felt his bones knit, the gigantic ache in his head reduced to a dull throb. He got to his feet and charged back towards the skirmish, sword in hand.  
  
The Dragon had foreseen this as well, and he reared back his serpentine neck, meaning to snap his head forward and devour this pestering Human whole. The Dragoons could not keep tormenting him for long. They would wear out long before he did, and then he would pick them off slowly, one by one. Sean recognized the Dragon's movements, having watched the way a snake moved in for the kill. He wracked his brain for something he could do, anything. His mind wandered, and he recalled the dream. That was it! He pulled out the Dragon skull the woman in the dream had given him.  
  
"Rayen, catch!" Sean's voice rang out as he lobbed the object towards the sprinting Dragoon.  
  
Rayen recognized the skull even as it soared through the air. He had seen countless sketches of the thing in History class. Sean, with no formal education, would probably not have known. Rayen wondered how Sean had managed to get his hands on such a thing, but that could come later. He plucked the artifact out of the air with his left hand, and slid his right hand through the space where the lower jaw of the skull would have occupied, and grasped the handle that appeared. Running all the while, he thrust his hand straight into the Dragon's central eye as the head of the massive creature snapped forward.  
  
The pale yellow blade of the Dragon Buster slid through the eye with remarkably little resistance, and Rayen felt Wingly magic surge into the Dragon's head, accomplishing the deadly work for which it was created. The Divine Dragon convulsed, but it soon wore out. The Lord of Dragons gave one final shudder, than ceased to move.  
  
Thus, by channeling their fear, hatred, and anger, the Dragoons had defeated the monster that epitomized all of these emotions.  
  
The Divine Dragon lay dead, on a shelf of rock at the summit of his ancestral home.  
  
Rayen drew a circle in the center of the main eye with the blade of the Dragon Buster. With a brilliant flash of light, a Dragon Spirit was born, hanging suspended in the air. Rayen was about to take it, when unimaginable pain, far worse than anything the dragon had caused, exploded in his head. He fell to his knees once more, and a dark figure swooped down and snatched the Spirit out of the air. Rayen looked up at the shape.  
  
It was formed in cruel mockery of a Human, right down to imperfect facial features, but anyone could tell it was nothing of the sort. It was black as midnight, and its eyes had crimson irises, like a Wingly, that no Human could ever possess, and those eyes radiated a staggering malevolence, an evil surpassing anything the Dragoons had seen before. In his right hand, he clutched the Divine Dragon Spirit, and in his left, he held a small bottle of red liquid. Rayen recognized that bottle. It was the blood from the graveyard! A part of himself he had willingly given to another; it all made sense! Pure, unadulterated rage bubbled up from within him.  
  
"YOU BASTARD!"  
  
The villain just laughed, a gloating laugh that sounded like an echoing death knoll, and the crimson blood turned black, and Rayen clutched his skull in agony once more. Fortunately, his companions were not idle. Sean lunged at the wretch, shattering the vial and spilling the accursed fluid to the rock below. Rayen felt the pain recede, and stood up, shaking with fury.  
  
The demon merely shrugged. "It had served its purpose. I was sent to make sure none of you get your hands on this," he said as he indicated the Divine Dragon Spirit. "Now that I have it, I'll kill you all now!"  
  
The unholy creature coaxed the Spirit, and it, sensing power, responded. The devil was clad in the armor of the Divine Dragoon.  
  
"Divine Dragon Cannon!"  
  
The beam shot forth once again, speeding straight for Rayen.  
  
Phil shouted to the Red-Eye. "Get out of the way!"  
  
But Rayen merely stood there, staring upwards at the spell, with an almost resigned look on his face.  
  
Then the light of Divine Dragon Cannon engulfed him.  
  
Author's Note: OK, chapter over! This one was longer than it usually is, which is not very long for the people who have 10,000-word chapters, but I also update every few days, so give me some credit here.  
  
I have left you people with an interesting little cliffhanger, with some good and bad news attached. The good news is that the Divine Dragon is finally dead, Rayen is finally rid of the evil head demons (now if he could only do something about mine), and the Dragoons also have the Dragon Buster. On the flip side, the guy who was invading his mind has gotten the Divine Dragoon Spirit, and he's trying to kill Rayen! Poor Rayen, he always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, doesn't he?  
  
What have the BOA guys been cooking up during this time? Whatever happened to the man who orchestrated the return of the Dragons? Who is this mysterious newcomer, and is he connected with the other two in any way? What will the Dragoons do about Sean?  
  
I love all of those unanswered questions, they give my story some semblance of a plot. *is slightly pessimistic when it comes to writing ability, in case you haven't already noticed* OK kiddies, that's it for now! Poke the pretty link and review! Don't forget to eat your vegetables! 


	37. Dark Presences

Author's Note: Ah. OK. It makes sense now. Does this mean I can gather all of my favorite characters from my favorite games, enslave them all, and make them my army of minions? Pleeeeeeeeease?  
  
Chapter 37  
  
The light of the Divine Dragon Cannon faded, and the air was filled with laughter.  
  
To everyone's surprise, including his own, the laughter was not coming from the new Divine Dragoon.  
  
Rayen stood, totally unharmed, his head titled back in an uproar of mirth. "You fool. Have you forgotten in your arrogance? The enchantment of the Dragon Block Staff still rests over this place. Your flashy spells are useless here. You couldn't kill a newborn kitten with that magic."  
  
The demon stood there, his fists clenched in fury, obviously searching for a final threat to hurl at the Dragoons, but finding none. Settling for a malevolent glance, he took off, his many wings beating rhythmically. Rayen watched him until he was a mere speck along the horizon, then turned to the others.  
  
Sean hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "OK, we've killed the Divine Dragon, so what now? We chase after that bastard and kill him too, right?"  
  
Rayen shook his head. "No. Even though he's inexperienced, he's still stronger than all of us together. The Dragon Block Staff was the only thing that saved me."  
  
Sean looked puzzled at that statement. "Well, if we're not going to deal with him, then what's next?"  
  
Rayen thought for a moment. "I think we should read up on a few things."  
  
Phil grimaced. "What for? We don't have English class anymore, we ducked out of school."  
  
Rayen sighed. "Believe it or not, Phil, some people actually read because they want to. However, I was thinking we could look at some of the old books about Dragoons. Maybe we'd find something there we didn't know. While we're looking for that, we might find out more about what that thing is, and more importantly, how to kill him."  
  
Phil shrugged. "Fine. But where are we headed?"  
  
Rayen rolled his eyes. "Well, let's think here for a moment, however unaccustomed you may be to that concept. Where's a place with a whole lot of books?"  
  
Phil raised and lowered his shoulders once more. "The Serdian National Library in Bale?"  
  
Rayen clapped sarcastically. "Very good!"  
  
Phil frowned. "OK, it's not funny any more."  
  
"Suit yourself. Kyra?"  
  
The Wingly nodded, and the group disappeared.  
  
(Heh, heh. Silly people, you forgot about the Dragon Block Staff, didn't you? Shame, shame.)  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Several hours later, they stood among the Ancient History Section, leafing through huge tomes, wading through the endless sea of information, searching for something they could actually use.  
  
The Sea Dragoon soon tired of this, however, and she slammed her book shut, sending a cloud of dust spiraling into the air. "I'm bored!"  
  
Rayen gritted his teeth in irritation. Maybe Phil was right when they had first found her in Furni. Rayen could certainly see how a long period of time around this girl could grate on someone's nerves. He looked pleadingly at the Jade Dragoon, who nodded. He was obviously bored of this work as well, and never being a literature buff at any point, he silently agreed to take the over-energetic Sea Dragoon off the others' hands.  
  
Phil spoke to the Sea Dragoon. "I am too. Let's go somewhere else. Is that all right with you, oh fearless leader?"  
  
Rayen countered Phil's sarcastic inquiry with a biting response of his own. "As much as I'd like for you obtain something higher than a seventh grade vocabulary, go ahead."  
  
"That was cold."  
  
"I know. Fun, though."  
  
Phil merely shot Rayen a dark look, then turned once more to the Water Dragoon. "You never told us your name."  
  
"That's right, I didn't. I'm Aquaria!"  
  
"That sounds familiar..."  
  
Shade looked up from the yellowed pages he was examining. "Aqua. Water, in other words. How appropriate."  
  
Phil nodded, and the two left, leaving the other six alone.  
  
Rayen let out a sigh of relief. "Now maybe we can find something useful."  
  
Dawn spoke up in excitement. "I think I've got something! It looks like a picture of that black thing that took the Divine Dragoon Spirit. It says, 'These enigmatic creatures have been seen all over Endiness in all time periods, although sightings of them have been rare. Some call them demons, sent by infernal powers to destroy Endiness. Others believe they are spirits, haunting battlefields where many have died in the past, for the sightings of these mysterious beings appear to increase during times of war. Still others are convinced they are a reincarnation of the Black Monster, the creature that lived for 11 millenia, destroying the Moon Child every 108 years to prevent the Moon Prophecy, which turned out to be the Dark Dragoon known as Rose. Not much is known of these creatures save that they are roughly humanoid, with crimson eyes. While historians have made many speculatons toward the nature of these puzzling entities, nothing has been proven as fact.'"  
  
Rayen considered that excerpt for a moment. "Well, it's a start, but it's pretty inconclusive. It doesn't really tell us anything. But keep looking through that book, maybe it will say more."  
  
After a few more hours, and very little luck, the Dragoons and Sean were willing to call it a night. Finally locating Phil and Aquaria, who miraculously had not managed to annihilate the city during their absence, they found a nearby hotel, and rented several rooms for the night. The men slept in two different rooms, while the girls had a room of their own. (So none of that three people, two beds stuff. This isn't a humor fic. .)  
  
Sean had trouble sleeping that night. He sat up in bed. "Rayen?"  
  
Rayen, who had taken the second bed (Phil, after losing the sparring match, was sleeping on the couch.), rolled over. "Yeah?"  
  
Sean exhaled, then spoke again. "Something's been bothering me. What if we let that guy go, and then he kills some more people?"  
  
Rayen admitted that the thought had been eating at him as well. "Well, if we had chased after him, we'd probably end up dead as well. Then he'd just go kill people anyway, and there'd be nobody to stop him. It wouldn't solve anything. We're better off biding our time, at least for now."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose..."  
  
Rayen could tell the orphan wasn't comforted by the thought. Quite frankly, he wasn't very consoled himself.  
  
Author's Note: Whee, short chapter, even for me. I finally gave the Sea Dragoon a name, which took me forever (Namer's block?). I know not much happened in this one, but I was basically setting the story up for the next chapter, which will be more exciting. I promise. 


	38. Serdio's Treasure

Author's Note: O_o Romance? Erm... well... *cough* *scratches back of neck* I dunno. Maybe. If so, I think Rayen's a little too old for Aquaria, and a little too serious. He'd probably bore her. O_o  
  
Oh, and if you read the last chapter, you SHOULD (keyword right there) know that the Dragon Block Staff shatters after every use. Therefore, unless you managed to collect all the pieces and take them to a convienently located Grand Red-Eye Dragon to fix it, you don't have the staff. Anyway, you can't have it, because I've got the gem. *holds it up as evidence* It's mine, to use in all of my psychotic magic rituals. So there.  
  
About the whole minion thing, I serve no one. No offense, but I just look out for myself, thank you very much. So I'm going to make them all my army of super-cool minions anyway. *enslaves them all with author magic*  
  
Dart, Lavitz, Albert, Rose, Locke, Shadow, Sabin, Cloud, Vincent, Crono, Frog, Ayla, Marth, Roy, Link, Alphonse, Rictor, and Elrik: -_-  
  
Chapter 38  
  
The next day, the six were back in the library, searching thoroughly but finding little. Most of it was all the same; the history of the Dragoons told slightly different in each book. They found almost nothing that wasn't common knowledge, and what useful information they did find was mostly speculation, with little or no factual basis.  
  
Rayen's patience was slowly slipping away. He shut the ancient tome a little harder than necessary, and sighed. "Damn it, this is getting us nowhere!"  
  
That was when the explosion rocked the palace. The library was one of the public wings of the palace complex, and the resulting tremor was enough to rock the Dragoons off their feet, falling to the ground, immediately followed by several rows of books. Rayen was the first to rise. He knew what was happening, he had suspicions of it for a long time, even before the Dragons had returned to Endiness. But he had pushed those dark premonitions to the back of his mind, not truly understanding the power of his instincts.  
  
He shouted above the clamor. "Kyra! Take us to the throne room!"  
  
The Wingly sprang to her feet and shook her mane of platinum hair. "But what about Phil and Aquaria?"  
  
Rayen was already preparing the Dragon Buster and his Dragoon Spirit as he replied. "There's no time to wait for them! NOW!"  
  
Kyra nodded, and they vanished. When they appeared in the throne room, Rayen's worst fears were confirmed. A gigantic hole was punched through the stone of the back wall, which must have been the cause of the convulsion, and the entrance of the perpetrator. The Divine Dragoon stood there, his hand planted in the King of Serdio's back. With a jerk, he withdrew his fist, in which was clenched a glittering sphere.  
  
The Moon Gem.  
  
Rayen's cry of rage echoed throughout the regal chamber even as he transformed and charged at the demonic facsimile of a human. But his onrushing blitz was halted as he saw the figure raise his cannon to the ceiling.  
  
"I wouldn't advise going any further. After all, you goody-two-shoe types wouldn't want this magnificent building to crash down upon your ears, would you?"  
  
Rage surged through Rayen's already adrenaline-pumped body, but he could do nothing.  
  
The Divine Dragon Knight smirked in satisfaction. "Yes, that's what I thought. However, I must keep you busy for a little while."  
  
He fired the cannon at the ceiling, exited through the way he came, and then all hell broke loose. Rayen threw himself in front of the beam, using his magic to create a shield. Even with the cushion of sorcery, he felt the enormous power of the oncoming spell slowly sapping his energy.  
  
Rayen yelled as loud as he could to the other Dragoons on the chamber floor. "A little help right about now would come in very handy, if you all don't mind!"  
  
Shade, Dawn, Kyra, and Oraeus all focused their magical resources on the shield, fortifying it as much as they could. Because the blast was hurried, most likely to give the Divine Dragoon time to escape the imminent collapse of the palace, the shield was able to outlast the Divine Dragon Cannon, and Rayen glided slowly to the ground, his armor fading in a flash of crimson radiance. Despite their preventing any harm to the structure or anyone contained within it, they had still failed. The Divine Dragoon had gotten away with the Moon Gem. Rayen slid the Dragon's skull from his hand, and hurled it against the stone wall in a futile attempt to express his frustration. "DAMN!"  
  
"Rayen, don't! You'll break it!"  
  
Rayen was too consumed in his fury to even figure out who had spoken, and he didn't particularly feel that it was relevant. He knew that no blow he could inflict on the Dragon Buster would cause it to so much as crack. The culprit was now after the Divine Moon artifacts, and Rayen was not sure they could stop him. But Rayen was far more troubled by the villain's motives. With the Moon that Never Sets resting in a pile of rubble, the Moon Prophecy could never be revived again. Or could it? Does he want to revive the God of Destruction, or does he have some other objective in mind?  
  
Rayen turned to the King and spoke graciously. "I don't mean to sound impudent, Your Majesty, but we need you to pen a letter to both the King of Tiberoa and the Queen of Millie Seaseu immediately. The fate of Endiness may rest on it."  
  
The King nodded. "If not for your efforts, I would be resting under several tons of rock. I will carry out your wish. I shall be finished in a few moments."  
  
Rayen spoke to the group. "All right, let's discuss tactics. We don't know whether he's headed for Fletz or Deningrad. So we split up. Dawn, Phil, Sean and I will head for Fletz with the Dragon Buster, while Oraeus, Kyra, Shade, and Aquaria will head to Deningrad. As soon as we figure out where he's going, Kyra will bring the other group there. We'll relay the message telepathically via the Dragons. Anyone have any problems with that?"  
  
There was no answer.  
  
"Good."  
  
Phil raised his hand at this point. "Yeah, I've got a question. Considering the King isn't dead, how did you manage to get it into your head that you were crowned Lord and Dictator Over All Us Pathetic Mortals?"  
  
Rayen's patience was already stretched very thin by the incident, and it took a supreme effort of will to prevent himself from throttling Phil. "Until YOU decide to start taking charge and lead us off a cliff or wherever, Phil, I suggest you shut your fucking mouth and maybe we can save the world."  
  
Phil grinned. "Boy, Rayen, I guess you're just not in the mood today, are you? Must be that time of the month again..."  
  
Rayen sighed and smacked his forehead, but his exasperation did not stop him from joining in on the laughter. "I fell right into that one, didn't I?"  
  
Phil nodded. Just then, the king returned to the chamber, two sealed parchment envelopes in his hand, which he gave to Rayen. With a quick thanks, the Dragoons teleported away.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Rayen stood on the fortifications of the Twin Castle, staring out at the city below, and more importantly, the horizon. Kyra and the others had left several minutes ago. He took a long drink from the soda can that sat on the stone railing beside him. The Fire Dragon Knight kept a solemn vigil over the citadel, ignoring the passersby who were examining him with haughty disdain. He kept one hand in each pocket, fingering both his Dragoon Spirit and the Dragon Buster, both of which he had to keep concealed. If he could keep his weapons out in the open, you would not see him with his hands in his pockets. But this was irrelevant at the moment.  
  
Suddenly, he spotted a mere speck in the distance. Yes, there could be no mistaking it. Nothing else could travel that rapidly. The Divine Dragoon was headed for Fletz, the Moon Dagger in his sights. He would reach the castle in half an hour at most. Rayen reached out to the presence of Samovar in his mind, sending his message along to the other group. They would need everyone here for this battle. This would be the crucial struggle. If he defeated the Dragoons here, they would probably not be alive to defend Deningrad.  
  
He pulled the Spirit and the Dragon skull from his pockets. There was no need for secrecy any longer. Everyone in Endiness would watch this battle; it was inevitable that their identities would become public at this point.  
  
"Show time." 


	39. Firefight

Author's Note: Yeah, Rayen did get a little snappish there, but he was pissed because the bad guy got the Gem, and then Phil was being sarcastic while he was trying to take charge. You have to give the guy a break. Oh, and Regrem Erutaerc, I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. You'll find out soon.  
  
Chapter 39  
  
The Dragoons stood assembled on the bastions of the Twin Castle, looking out over the city of Fletz, where, in the distance, the Divine Dragoon approached. Rayen estimated that he would reach the castle in twenty minutes. He sighed as he ran his fingers over the smooth bleached bone that was carved into the likeness of a Dragon's skull. Rayen supposed the ancient Winglies would want a sense of irony accompanying their greatest weapon. He placed the Dragon Buster on the granite battlement, and resumed staring at the speck in the distance that was slowly but surely getting larger.  
  
Phil was examining his friend's face with rare concern. When they weren't fighting, Rayen joked almost as much as he did, albeit a bit more cynically. But at the slightest hint of danger, he froze up, becoming the gallant cold-hearted hero. He hated that. Although Phil realized Rayen was doing what needed to be done, the Jade Dragoon thought he worried way too much.  
  
At this point, Rayen was done worrying. He knew what was necessary. It was the only way that they could possibly keep the Moon Dagger safe. He picked up the skull, fingering it once more, and then he turned and tossed it to Shade. Rayen's blue eyes met Shade's brown ones and the Dark Dragoon nodded. He understood.  
  
Rayen shifted back to the cityscape below. He drew his sword, and focused his mind on the ruby he clutched in his hands. The flames surged from the jewel, enveloping him. He relished the power that flowed through him, knowing it may be the last time he experienced the transformation. Once the transformation completed he drew his blade and climbed on top of the battlement.  
  
Dawn watched the Red-Eye in puzzlement. "Rayen, what the hell are you doing?"  
  
Rayen didn't even glance backwards. "Isn't it obvious? I'm going to fight him."  
  
The Silver Dragoon could hardly believe her ears. "Alone?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Kyra clenched her fists. "Without the Dragon Buster? Are you insane? What if he kills you?"  
  
Rayen shook his head. "No. You need the Dragon Buster. It's our last line of defense. Besides, he won't."  
  
Kyra wasn't convinced. "But what if he does?"  
  
"Well then, I'm pretty screwed, aren't I?"  
  
"You can't be seriously considering this!"  
  
But the Wingly's words were lost on the Red-Eye, who was already airborne.  
  
Dawn turned to Shade, who had remained impassive during the exchange, leaning against the stone wall with his arms folded and his brown eyes half- closed. "Is he suicidal?"  
  
"No."  
  
"But he can't win!"  
  
Shade lifted his head to regard the Silver Dragoon. "He's not planning on winning. He's stalling."  
  
Phil had remained unusually quiet during this time. "Why?"  
  
"Because time is the one thing that is not on the Divine Dragoon's side at this point. If Rayen can stall him long enough, it will give the royal family of Tiberoa more time to assemble their forces, which will do no more than irritate him, but it will also slow him down. More importantly, it will give the Tiberoans time to relocate the Moon Dagger. Rayen will also weaken the Divine Dragoon, if he can. It was a wise move."  
  
Kyra shook her head. "But he'll get killed!"  
  
Shade replied in the same calm voice that was driving the anxious Dragoons insane. "I doubt it. The Divine Dragoon won't waste his time. If the Moon Dagger is relocated, he may lose it for a long time, and getting rid of Rayen isn't worth that much to him."  
  
Phil spoke up again. "But won't he find it eventually in the future? Isn't this all just an exercise in futility?"  
  
Shade sighed. "Can't you see? If the world ends in the present, there will be no future. We need to leave this up to him for now, at least until the Divine Dragoon goes after the Dagger."  
  
Rayen's wings plowed through the afternoon air, propelling him towards the advancing figure in the distance. He flew slowly, for there was no need to rush. He would need all the strength he could muster for this battle. The Divine Dragoon, however, did not follow the same philosophy and was closing in fast. Rayen gripped the hilt of his blade. The Divine Dragoon had spotted him.  
  
The Divine Dragoon wasted no time. "Divine Dragon Ball!"  
  
Rayen was prepared for this, however, and he dodged and rolled around in the air to avoid the countless fireballs that sped in his direction. Those he could not dodge, he deflected with his blade. The distance between the warriors closed, and then they clashed. Rayen's weapon slammed against the villain's mailed arm, but did not penetrate. Their paths crossed, but the Divine Dragoon kept going.  
  
Rayen would be bleeding on the ground before he allowed that to happen, so he hurled a fireball at the retreating fighter's back. It connected right between the six wings, detonating and sending the Lord of Dragoons tumbling over in the air. The Divine Dragon Knight made a quick about-face, sizing the Red-Eye up. Rayen had proved himself too much of a nuisance to be left to his own devices. The Divine Dragoon quickly made up his mind to kill this pest as speedily as possible so he could retrieve the Moon Dagger. A black sword appeared in his hands, and he charged at Rayen, holding the massive blade high above his head. The swords clashed. Rayen reversed his blade and struck again, but his opponent blocked the slash easily. His adversary swung his own blade, but Rayen blocked the stroke, turned the weapon aside, and thrust towards the Divine Dragoon's chest. His foe beat his many wings, soaring above the attack. Rayen was not surprised by this, however, and punished his opponent's move by flinging another blazing projectile at his competitor's body.  
  
This only momentarily fazed the Divine Dragoon, however, and he brought his blade down in a vicious slash, meaning to cleave his skull in two. Rayen grabbed the tip of his own sword, and thrust his blade upwards to block. Rayen then flipped over in midair, kicking his armored foot into the Divine Dragoon's jaw. He slammed both his feet into his rival's chest, propelling himself away from the black sword's range. Rayen focused the magical power that ran through his blood, and called it forth.  
  
"Flaming Blitz!"  
  
His crimson armor metamorphosed into the white-hot flames it was formed from during the transformation. Rayen shot forward at a dizzying speed, slashing at his opponent countless times as he weaved around the Divine Dragoon. He slammed his feet into his adversary's chest once again to distance himself, then, concentrating the flames on his sword, he lunged toward the Divine Dragoon, thrusting his blade between two plates of the gray armor and causing a gigantic explosion that engulfed both combatants.  
  
Rayen soared out of the burning orb, his armor returned to its former solid state. That had done some serious damage, he could tell, but he knew the Divine Dragoon wasn't out of the fight yet. His experience was matching the Divine Dragoon's raw power, something he hadn't expected. His thoughts were interrupted by the Divine Dragoon's mailed fist connecting with the side of his face, sending him reeling. The telltale white-blue glow appeared, and Rayen knew what was coming next.  
  
"Divine Dragon Cannon!"  
  
Rayen twisted as best he could, but it was no use. The beam collided with his back, and although the blow was a glancing one, he could feel unbelievable pain shoot through his nerves, and he cried out in agony as he fell to the ground. The Divine Dragoon held the cannon point-blank to his face. "Now you die."  
  
"Big talk." Rayen swept his legs to the side, knocking the Divine Dragoon's legs out from beneath him. In an instant, the Red-Eye was up on his feet, sword in hand.  
  
The Divine Dragoon sneered even as he lay on the earth. "Do you really think you can fight me without your precious Dragoon armor?"  
  
"No. But I think you have more pressing things to worry about at the moment." Rayen pointed to the Twin Castle, where a literal flood of people surged.  
  
"I have no time to waste with you," The Divine Dragoon said as he clenched his fists in fury, and he got to his feet, and swung his fist at Rayen's head. As the Fire Dragoon landed on the earth, he kicked off the ground soaring into the air. He flew as fast as he could toward the citadel, ignoring the shots and explosions that were sailing through the air around him. The Dark Dragoon had the Dagger, he could see that much. He landed on the parapet, knocking the five Dragoons that lunged for him away with one sweep of his cannon arm. He approached the Dark Dragoon, who was leaning against the battlement wall, Moon Dagger in hand. "Give me the knife."  
  
"Certainly." The five Dragoons started in fury, thinking that Shade had betrayed them once again, but the Dark Dragoon hurled the Dagger off of the castle and to the city below.  
  
Shade smirked as the artifact sailed into the sea of people below, even though no one could see through the bindings that masked his face. He turned to the Divine Dragoon. "Fetch."  
  
Author's Note: Whee, chapter over! Will the baddie be able to find the Moon Dagger when any of those people could have it? Will Rayen regain enough strength to finish off the already weakened Divine Dragoon? Read next chapter to find out! 


	40. The Moon Dagger

Author's Note: Shade didn't betray anybody. They THOUGHT he was going to give the Dagger to the Divine Dragoon, but really he was just chucking it into the crowd. I wouldn't count Shade out yet, I bet he's got a plan in mind...  
  
Shade and Aquaria? O_o I don't think so. She's a hyperactive fifteen-year old with a gigantic hammer, while he's an angsty, dual-sword-toting, 27- year-old mutant ninja. Nope, don't think that pairing would work out too well.  
  
Yes, Flaming Blitz is MY spell, and a damn cool one it is too. It's a little like Final Burst, but that's OK. I've also got one thought up for Phil and a really cool one for Shade. Oh, and by the way, the Divine Dragoon can't just blow the crowd to tiny pieces because that would destroy the Dagger in the process, and then he'd be screwed. Minor detail, I know, but still...  
  
Chapter 40  
  
Senior Executive Trega watched the news update that was on every channel with his hands folded. "So, the would-be heroes finally show themselves."  
  
His personal assistant piped up. "Project Shade is among them."  
  
"Yes, and so is Chang's pet Wingly."  
  
The assistant spoke again. "Our information has confirmed that the Red-Eye that was fighting earlier was indeed the one that killed Corain a month ago. He came from the same area and supposedly 'transferred to another school' a day after the incident. The Jade Dragoon did the same, and lived nearby."  
  
Trega mused, more to himself than the servile man behind him. "Must be classmates. We also have two little girls and a half-gorilla. Quite the motley crew. I want everything we can find about all of them on my desk as soon as possible."  
  
The assistant's head bobbed. "We have our informant database working on it as we speak."  
  
"Good."  
  
The attendant hesitated before speaking again. "If I may inquire..."  
  
Trega cut him off smoothly, as if he could read the man's mind. "The experiments concerning the new project are running as according to plan. That is all you are required to know."  
  
"Yes, sir." The aide hesitated once more, like a humble dog waiting for a command to roll over or sit, before exiting silently.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Sean watched as the Moon Dagger sailed gracefully from the parapets of the Twin Castle into the gigantic crowd below, but from a slightly different position than Shade and the others. He smiled. It was exactly like Shade had planned it. He had been waiting among the populace since before Rayen had gone off on his own to battle the Divine Dragoon, as Shade had instructed him, and now he had his chance. With the crowd mesmerized by the sight of seven Dragon Knights standing atop the palace, he had little difficulty in reaching up and snatching the artifact from the air. He stepped back, molding into the sea of onlookers; the Dagger clamped safely in his hand.  
  
The Divine Dragoon's cry of rage scattered the swarm. He swooped down, searching for the possessor of the Moon Dagger. Eventually he spotted Sean, and he swooped in front of the boy, knocking him to the ground. He was about to wrench the artifact from the orphan's hand when a heavy object bounced off the armored plates of his back. He whipped around, but the object and its thrower were already gone. Rayen grabbed his sword from the ground and dashed to the Divine Dragoon's other side.  
  
Wreathing his blade in flames, he hurled his weapon again, and this time the sword flew true, lodging itself between the Divine Dragoon's shoulder and chest. The Divine Dragoon gathered energy in his cannon, and was just about to end the audacious Red-Eye's life when Sean got an idea.  
  
"Rayen! Catch!" Sean tossed the Moon Dagger, and Rayen caught it.  
  
Rayen smiled as the Divine Dragoon halted the casting of the spell in surprise. The villain couldn't afford to use magic while he had the Dagger, for fear of harming it in the process. Sure enough, the huge black sword appeared in the gauntlets of the Divine Dragoon, and he charged. Rayen jumped back, narrowly avoiding the weapon's deadly path. He dashed backwards, always keeping himself one step ahead of the onrushing aggressor.  
  
After a swipe of the massive blade reduced a wooden sign to splinters, Rayen knew he had to do something fast. Running backwards expended a lot more stamina than running forwards, but he needed to see what the Divine Dragoon, and more importantly his weapon, were doing at all times. He couldn't turn into a Dragoon for more than a few minutes, because his Spirit Power was already exhausted from the earlier battle. He risked a daring glance over his shoulder, and then smiled. The others had come down from the parapets to assist. "Phil! Coming your way!"  
  
Phil, grinning, caught the Dagger, but his smile faded when he realized the Divine Dragoon wasn't coming after him. He realized that the Divine Dragoon knew he could afford to use magic now that Rayen didn't have the Dagger. He was going to wipe out the Dragoons one by one, until the possessor of the Dagger was the only one left! "Oh shit..."  
  
"Divine Dragon Ball!"  
  
Seven simultaneous shouts rang out. "Rayen!"  
  
Rayen activated what little Spirit Energy he had left and formed a shield. As the hundreds of tiny meteors detonated against the barrier of crimson magic, Rayen felt the strain taking its toll. He wouldn't be able to keep this up for much longer. The shield was about to give way when the shower of explosions suddenly ceased. Rayen ended the transformation to preserve what he could.  
  
A bladed spear butt slamming across the Divine Dragoon's face interrupted the spell. Phil struck the foe several more times, then summoned a gust of wind that slammed the Divine Dragoon into a nearby building. He tossed the Moon Dagger to Rayen, held it in one hand while he drew his sword with the other. The Divine Dragoon burst forth from the rubble, and studied the situation for a moment while he swallowed a healing potion. He wouldn't be able to beat one Dragoon at a time; the Dagger could pass hands before he could finish off one of them. He had to obtain the Dagger, one way or another.  
  
The Divine Dragoon charged, but Rayen was ready. He parried the strike, and then thrusted with his own weapon. He could fight back without fear of magic. Hopefully he would be able to regain enough Spirit Energy to transform again. The two figures darted throughout the city streets. Rayen finally commenced his transformation, and flew to the top of a high building.  
  
The Divine Dragoon recognized Rayen's fatal mistake, and he grinned like a predator whose quarry had nowhere to run. With a blast from his cannon, the Divine Dragoon sent the building toppling to the earth. Rayen felt the world recede from under his feet, and in his shock, he released the Moon Dagger. Rayen tried to reclaim it, but the force of gravity had gained dominion of the artifact. It fell from his grasp, hurtling for the ground below.  
  
However, Sean was not idle while these events were transpiring. He sprinted towards the collapsing building, grabbing the Dagger and rushing out of the way just in time to avoid the fragments from crushing him and the relic. The Divine Dragoon stole up behind Sean, and with a vicious swipe from his cannon arm, slammed the boy to the ground. He sneered as he wrenched the prize from his grasping hands. "Mine."  
  
The eight hopeless defenders watched in dismay as the Divine Dragoon beat his six wings, and took off into the air, with the Moon Dagger clenched in his mailed fist. There was no hope of taking the Dagger from him. He was just too powerful. The Moon Mirror was their only chance now, and coming from two straight losses, their prospects appeared dim. They had failed.  
  
Shade walked up to Rayen nonchalantly, as if they had lost nothing more than a PE football game. He handed the Red-Eye the Dragon Buster, and Rayen slid the skull onto his hand. The fiery blade sprung forth, and Rayen's face became even more resolute. "Kyra, take us to Deningrad. If we're going to protect the Moon Mirror, we're going to need a plan."  
  
Author's Note: Well, that sucks majorly. He got the Moon Dagger anyway, and now Deningrad and the Dragoons are the only thing standing between him and achieving his goal, whatever it may be. Tune in for next chapter, and don't forget to post those pretty reviews Striker likes so much! O_o 


	41. Deningrad

Author's Note: The Signet Spheres were created by Charle Frahma to seal the power of the Moon Objects. When destroyed, the Moon Objects can be used to create the God of Destruction. Since the Signet Spheres are already gone, the Divine Dragoon has that part of his plot taken care of for him. He doesn't need to deal with those. However, there is no Moon that Never Sets anymore, so does that mean that the God of Destruction cannot be reborn? Maybe, maybe not. Could the Divine Dragoon has some other plans for the Moon Objects? Maybe, maybe not. But, no matter what he wants with the Moon Objects, he still needs the Moon Child. But without the Moon that Never Sets, there IS no Moon Child, right? Maybe, maybe not. I'm not giving away anything yet. Bwahahahaha. Evil me.  
  
On a different note, giggleplex mentioned that 'opposites attract', when I expressed doubts over a Shade/Aquaria pairing. I suppose that's true, but there are opposites, and then there are... well... OPPOSITES. First of all, he's twelve years older than she is. Secondly, and more importantly, I just can't figure out what they could ever see in each other. Shade would probably kill Aquaria if forced to spend long periods of time with her, and his constant angsty seriousness would bore her very quickly anyway. Furthermore, if I can't figure that romance out, I can't very well write it now, can I? Sorry, but I think that pairing is shot. Then again, who knows? Anything is possible...  
  
Oh, and by the way, since the Dragons are in this Chapter, I forgot to mention something about the Jade Dragon. Just because the Grand Jade Dragon was like Feyrbrand doesn't necessarily mean that the mating pair was like Feyrbrand. Since the egg was laid by the mating female, that means that the offspring Dragon that follows Phil is also like the Jade Dragon seen in Albert's summon. Just to clear that up.  
  
Chapter 41  
  
En route to Millie Seaseu, the group stopped to pick up Dragons for Oraeus and Aquaria, who had not been with the group at the time. All seven Dragons were growing rapidly, from the size of a chicken at the time of their birth to the size of a large-breed dog. The group consisted Balaeris the Red-Eye Dragon, Razeroth the Dark Dragon, Ikarus the Jade Dragon, Kujura the Silver Dragon, Pacina the Violet Dragon, Jineraq the Golden Dragon, and Merindel the Sea Dragon. After retrieving the new Dragons, the group moved on to Millie Seaseu. Within a few minutes, they stood in the throne room of the Crystal Palace, the Dragons and the letter from the King of Serdio removing all doubts of their identities. The Queen listened politely as they explained, while an armored female knight with brown hair stood at her side. When they finished, the two women spoke in hushed voices for a few moments before the Queen addressed the Dragoons.  
  
"We are of course honored by your presence, and would like to assist in any way we can."  
  
Rayen spoke with polite firmness. "I don't believe that will be necessary. We don't want to put your citizens in danger if we can avoid it."  
  
The Queen motioned to the female knight, who stepped forward. "This is Nieva, the Second Sacred Sister of Deningrad. We would be greatly comforted if she were to help you in the defense of the Moon Mirror."  
  
Rayen studied the newcomer with interest. She was older than he was, Rayen guessed about twenty-four. She wore her armor with little hindrance, and she appeared comfortable with the rapier blade at her hip. Rayen turned to the group, all of whom nodded. He turned back to the Queen. "We would be honored, your Majesty."  
  
A few minutes later, the group was explaining the plan to their new comrade. The Dragoons would split up into pairs, each engaging the Divine Dragoon individually. Dawn and Aquaria would be the first wave, Oraeus and Phil the second, Kyra and Shade the third, and Rayen the final. The Dragons would remain with their respective Dragoons, while Sean and Nieva would stay with the Moon Mirror, ready to get rid of it should something go wrong. The object of the plan was for the first three waves to hold off and weaken the enemy long enough for Rayen to finish him off for good.  
  
The Sacred Sister seemed doubtful. "Can you beat him by yourself? I saw what he did in Fletz..."  
  
Rayen sighed before answering. "If all goes well, we shouldn't have a problem. The first three groups will weaken him, and I have the Dragon Buster, and... we've planned something else as well."  
  
The female knight looked surprised. "Really? What is it?"  
  
Rayen shook his head. "We cannot say. Information might leak to where it will defeat the plan's entire purpose. It must remain secret."  
  
Nieva nodded, and she left to retrieve the Moon Mirror from the Queen. Sean glanced back at the group once more before following. Everyone gradually melted away to go about their business. The Divine Dragoon wouldn't be here any time soon.  
  
Shade remained by the Red-Eye, examining the Fire Dragoon's bemused expression. "Worried?"  
  
Rayen gave a gloomy chuckle. "Worried? Well, let's see. In a few hours, a super-powerful warrior will be coming to this city to retrieve an artifact which will allow him to reawaken a god who will annihilate all life on this planet, and the only way we can stop him is for me to do something I've never even attempted before. Yeah, I'd say I'm a little tense."  
  
Balaeris spoke up at this point. "Shouldn't we have come here first instead of grabbing the other Dragons? It would have given us more time to prepare, and you could have practiced... the thing."  
  
Rayen chuckled again. "Prepare for what? We know the plan. It isn't exactly complicated. As for 'the thing', as you so eloquently put it, it's better to hope I can do it, rather than try it and find out I can't. Besides, if I were able to use it, everyone would know. It's not exactly easy to conceal. Then the Divine Dragoon would find out, one way or another, and the entire plan would go down the tubes."  
  
Shade nodded in agreement, while the Dragon sighed resignedly. "I suppose so..."  
  
Shade left as well, while Balaeris and Rayen stayed behind. Rayen waved to the young Red-Eye dismissively, and the Dragon took off, leaving the Fire Dragon Knight alone with his thoughts. Rayen stood on the crystal citadel, mulling through his notions over and over. He had his doubts about the whole thing, but the response from the others had been so overwhelming he didn't have the heart to bring them all down to earth. It would require more than a little power, power Rayen wasn't sure he had yet. So much was poised on this, and the young Dragoon was haunted by doubt more and more as time went on.  
  
Kyra was on another parapet, examining Rayen. Now more than ever, he confused her to no end. He was so inconsistent. Sometimes he was completely and utterly confident in his own abilities and the abilities of others, but other times, like now, doubt was etched on his face. Villains and traitors she understood, they at least followed patterns. But the Red-Eye was always changing, flickering and reshaping himself like a candle flame. Understanding of the Fire Dragon Knight was constantly eluding the grasp of her calculating mind.  
  
Rayen grabbed the Dragon Buster and placed it on the crystal battlement. He should keep it ready, just in case the first resort failed. He didn't want to fight the Divine Dragoon in hand to hand combat if he could avoid it. He had matched his opponent well in Fletz, but he had the upper hand then, and he wasn't sure he could win if he didn't have some sort of advantage. Then again, that was what the first three waves were for this time, so he might actually be able to pull this off. He looked up, and spotted an irregularity on the horizon. It was the Divine Dragoon; there was no mistaking it. He signaled to Kyra, who sped off to regroup the others and get everyone in place. He pulled the ruby Dragoon Spirit from his pocket, gripping it tightly, drawing comfort from the crimson radiance that pulsed in its faceted depths.  
  
It was time.  
  
Author's Note: Yay, chapter over! Boring, I know, but it was basically introducing a new character (Nieva, for all you slow people), outlining the plan for defense of Deningrad, and picking up those two Dragons. Next chapter will be extra long, 'cause the Divine Dragoon comes calling! 


	42. The Moon Mirror

Author's Note: Personally, ssp47, I agree with you. Which brings me to something very important I would like to say. PLEASE don't take this the wrong way or anything, but I would appreciate it if everyone would stop bugging me about the whole romance thing. I'm trying to focus on the story as it goes, and I will get to romance if and when it comes into play. OK? Like I said, please don't take that the wrong way. I just don't respond well to pressure. Pressure is bad. Like crispy shell tacos. Just like crispy shell tacos. O_o Sorry, I've been watching too many commercials. Moving on...  
  
I know I could be doing a little more character development at some point in the story. Trust me, I've got a few chapters of that coming up very soon. A lot about Shade, but hey, give me a break. He's the angsty one, they're easy to develop. Plus he had ten years that were totally unaccounted for.  
  
The Signet Spheres were destroyed so Lloyd and Diaz/Zeig could USE the power of the Moon Objects. Charle Frahma created them to thwart her brother's plot back during the Dragon Campaign.  
  
Whee, I passed the 200-review mark! Spiffy! Thanks to everyone!  
  
Chapter 42  
  
The Dragoons were assembled in formation long before the Divine Dragoon came near the palace. He watched them organize with narrowed crimson eyes. He immediately ruled out use of the cannon. The cannon needed to be used as a surprise tactic, but they were undoubtedly prepared to dodge if he did fire the cannon, and using that spell would leave him open for an easy strike. The Ball would maybe work, but he needed to get closer. In any case he would need to engage at least some of them in close combat. The huge two- handed black sword appeared in his mailed hands, while the three pairs of gray wings beat faster. The distance shrank between the Divine Dragoon and the first pair, and he suddenly let loose. "Divine Dragon Ball!"  
  
He was right. The Silver and Sea Dragoons had expected his first move, and instead of avoiding the swarm of projectiles, they merely conjured up shields of energy to block the bombardment. He charged in, swinging the massive blade in a vicious arc. The Silver Dragoon lifted her weapon, catching the sword between the half-moon-shaped blade and the wooden shaft. With a sudden twist of her weapon, she jerked the sword from the Divine Dragoon's hands and brought the butt end of the haft smashing against the side of his face in one stroke.  
  
The Divine Dragoon pulled back, dazed. He had only engaged the Red-Eye in actual combat, and he had assumed that the others would not be much of a challenge, considering that they waited in pairs while the Fire Dragoon stood alone on a shimmering battlement. He had underestimated them. It would not happen again. He growled as he punched the Silver Dragoon in her exposed stomach and took back his weapon. Taking careful aim, he fired three short blasts from his cannon arm, thinking to eliminate this nuisance quickly. However, in his preoccupation with one irritation, he forgot about the other.  
  
Aquaria's heavy warhammer connected with the back plates of the gray armor, causing the shots to arc off target, giving Dawn enough time to recover. Leveling her berdiche, she thrusted the weapon's splayed tip. It sunk into a gap between plates, and blood gushed forth. Dawn smiled. It was going even better than they had planned.  
  
As if to punish Dawn for her optimism, irony took hold. With a vicious backhand from his cannon arm, the Divine Dragoon knocked Aquaria from the air. The Sea Dragoon fell to the city streets below, causing a great disruption in traffic. Her armor deactivated and she lay unconscious on the pavement. Dawn lifted her berdiche in defiance; ready to defend herself, but the Divine Dragoon merely sneered in contempt and lunged, blade poised in his hands.  
  
The strike was so fast that Dawn had no time to defend. She felt white-hot pain shoot through her nerves, and she knew she was falling. She landed with a jolt, and she felt a huge gash along her stomach. She felt her strength slipping from her, but she summoned what little she had left and forced the wound closed. Her armor faded, and she closed her eyes. Her duty was finished, at least for now.  
  
The Divine Dragoon moved on to the second group without missing a beat. There was no time to waste. The Jade and Golden Dragoons were waiting for him, their weapons at the ready.  
  
Phil braced himself for the onrushing Dragoon. "Here comes Ugly!"  
  
Oraeus gripped the fur-wrapped handle of his axe. "Indeed."  
  
The Divine Dragoon was met with a sudden blast of wind that caught his wings in an updraft and tossed him to the side. Seeing he had gained an opportunity for an easy strike, Phil moved in quickly. For a reason the Jade Dragoon could not fathom, Oraeus did not follow. He swung the butt end of his spear, but the Divine Dragoon caught it in a mailed fist, then used Phil's own momentum against him.  
  
As Phil was thrown backwards by a small blast from the cannon, he realized why Oraeus had hung back. The Divine Dragoon had allowed himself to be thrown by the gust on purpose, to lure him in and trap him. As he was recovering from the cannon shot, Phil heard the Divine Dragoon speak.  
  
"Divine Dragon Ball!"  
  
The swarm of meteorites cascaded onto the Jade Dragoon, and he fell from the cloud of explosions, incapacitated. The Divine Dragoon turned to the Golden Dragoon, his face radiating cruel satisfaction. The half-Giganto's face remained impassive. He had seen friends fall in battle before, and besides, he knew Phil wasn't dead. He hefted his axe, and met the Divine Dragoon's first attack with ease.  
  
His Giganto blood reduced his abilities with magic, and fighting airborne made his earth magic useless, but Oraeus was not worried. He had more experience with a weapon than anyone in the group. Being an outcast, he had practically been born with an axe in his hands. He lunged forward, nearly taking the Divine Dragoon's head off. The black sword nicked his arm, but the half-Giganto kept on coming.  
  
The Divine Dragoon was awed, although he was loath to admit it, even to himself. He had never seen someone with so much combat prowess. The Red-Eye was a better fighter, of course, but he had used blade and magic in tandem. The Golden Dragoon was pure physical power, tempered by years of skill and experience. He handled his enormous battle-axe with deftness and agility, and the Divine Dragoon was hard-pressed to avoid all of the half-Giganto's strikes, even with his own very large weapon.  
  
Oraeus swung his weapon to the right, and the Divine Dragoon parried the wooden haft of the axe with his own blade. As the half-Giganto smiled, he knew he had fallen into a trap. The Golden Dragoon spun his axe, chopping downwards. The Divine Dragoon's eyes widened in surprise as his sword was cleaved in two by the blow. For the first time, the Divine Dragoon felt a twinge of fear. He could mend the blade easily, but this half-Giganto was a dangerous threat to him, and he still had three more Dragoons to deal with.  
  
"Divine Dragon Ball!" Again the shower of projectiles hurtled at the half- Giganto, but Oraeus had expected that tactic. What he didn't expect, however, is that the spell had just been a ploy, and the cannon was pointed right at where he would be after he dodged the spell. Oraeus had assumed the Divine Dragoon would not want to waste so much magical energy when he still had two opponents left. He thought wrong.  
  
"Divine Dragon Cannon!"  
  
The blue-white beam slammed into the half-Giganto's midriff, and he was hurled to the ground, strength sapped. The Divine Dragoon mended his sword with a flick of his wrist, then sped off towards the final pair standing between him and the castle, Rayen, and the Moon Mirror. Kyra and Shade were waiting for him, weapons at the ready. The Divine Dragoon prepared his spell once again.  
  
Kyra studied the Divine Dragoon closely. She recognized him somehow, but that was impossible. Still, the Wingly could not shake the feeling she had seen him somewhere before...  
  
Shade, however, was slightly more occupied with what his opponent was doing. "You've got to be kidding me... he wouldn't be stupid enough to use up all of his magic already..."  
  
"Divine Dragon Ball!"  
  
Kyra and Shade both rolled to the side, avoiding the flock of speeding missiles. Both Dragoons lunged forward, weapons poised to strike. The Divine Dragoon blocked Shade's swords, and then soared upwards to avoid the slashing claws headed for his throat. He paid for his costly maneuver, however, when a Wingly fireball connected with his back. He hissed, but darted back into the melee, and struck. Shade crossed his blades and cradled the blow, then kicked out with his legs, catching the Divine Dragoon's chest. The Divine Dragoon grunted in pain, but spun his blade in, feinting, and then chopped to the right, sending Shade's serrated blade falling to the city below, useless. Shade switched his longer sword to his good hand.  
  
Kyra's magenta eyes narrowed, and she shot forward, seeking to sever her adversary's neck. She paid for her carelessness when the Divine Dragoon's heavy cannon arm landed a crashing blow on the side of her face. Reeling, she hissed in pain as her enemy's black sword slid through the plates of her armor. Although her magic was enhanced by the Dragoon armor, the Wingly was still no great shakes at healing, and she could merely shrink the wound and hope it wasn't fatal as conscious thought slipped away.  
  
Shade was the only one left now, but they had all known that the Divine Dragoon would get past them. However, the Divine Dragoon had exhausted nearly all of his magic, and he was bleeding in no less than three places. He was panting as well, so the Dark Dragoon assumed that they had done their job well enough. He gripped the hilt of his remaining sword, and met the strike that came his way. He struck and parried, continually attempting to catch his opponent's weapon, but never quite managing.  
  
Rayen watched the duel raging, then looked down at the two weapons at his side. Should he choose his sword, and risk failure in his last resort, or choose the Dragon Buster, and risk losing to the Divine Dragoon in hand-to- hand combat? There was a flash of black light. Shade was down. There was no time for indecision any longer. He swept up his sword in his hand, and plunged it into the crystal battlement. The blade sunk through the crystal like a hot knife through butter, and Rayen's armor burst into flame.  
  
"Red-Eye Dragon, I beseech you! Come to me now!"  
  
Rayen felt a surge of power, but it quickly died away, and he feared all was lost. But a gigantic portal opened, and the Grand Red-Eye Dragon emerged in all its flaming majesty. The Divine Dragoon's crimson eyes went wide, but there was no escape. Samovar let loose a bellowing roar, and plowed straight into the Divine Dragoon.  
  
Then the sky exploded in flame.  
  
When the smoke cleared, Rayen saw a huge crater just outside the city. Motioning to Nieva and Sean, who hopped on Balaeris' back, the trio soared over to the gigantic hole. The Divine Dragoon lay comatose in the center, or at least it was in the Divine Dragoon's armor. It was if the King of Dragoons had been formerly wrapped in a thin layer of darkness, but the Red- Eye Dragon had disintegrated it, allowing them to see the man underneath. Rayen recognized the face instantly. "It's the man who released the Dragons!"  
  
Sean shrugged as he moved towards the unconscious Dragoon. "Who cares? He's dead, right? So let's take the Moon Dagger and Gem back and this is all over."  
  
Rayen shook his head. "Something's not right here. Why was he black with red eyes earlier? How'd he know that he could use my blood to screw with my mind?"  
  
As Sean reached for the two artifacts, a mailed fist shot up and caught hold of his arm. The darkness enveloped the man once again, and the Divine Dragoon smirked. "Because the fool lent his material body to me."  
  
The Divine Dragoon wrenched the Moon Mirror from Sean's other hand, and there was a brilliant flash of blinding radiance. Everyone's eyes were on the Moon Mirror, where Sean's reflection was outlined in palpable luminescence. The Divine Dragoon sneered in satisfaction as he knocked the orphan out cold with a sweep of his cannon arm. "How fortunate that the final Moon Object AND the Moon Child fall into my hands at the same time! It saves me a great deal of searching."  
  
With that, the Divine Dragoon took off, Sean's limp body clutched in one arm. Nieva turned to Rayen, frowning. "What now?"  
  
Rayen's fists clenched, but his voice was calm. "Isn't it obvious? We wake up the others and go after him. He can't warp like we can, we can still catch up."  
  
The Sacred Sister nodded in agreement.  
  
The chase was on.  
  
Author's Note: That's right, kiddies, Sean's the Moon Child! Didn't see THAT coming, didja? Mweehee, plot twists are fun! How can there be a Moon Child with no Moon? You'll have to keep reading and find out, won't you? In the meantime, REVIEW! 


	43. The Day of Reckoning

Author's Note: *eye twitch* I update, and three days later I'm pushed to #16. Erg. Do you have any idea how irritating that is?  
  
Yes, there WILL be some character development after this chapter. There will be some stuff on Shade (Yeah, I know I've done a lot on him, but he's just so much fun to develop, because there were TEN YEARS that nobody knows about.), some on Oraeus (I was about to get to him anyway.), some on Dawn, and maybe some on Kyra or Nieva, I'm not sure yet. The only character I might have a problem developing is Aquaria, because she's so young. She's only fifteen, and unless I think up something crazy that happened to her when she was really little, there's not much to say about her. Although I could have her reflect on Furni before the Divine Dragon totalled it...  
  
Chapter 43  
  
A few moments after the Divine Dragoon escaped with Sean, the fellowship was assembled, powering through the air after the villain, with their Dragons in tow. Nieva was sitting astride Balaeris. They were within a few miles of the Divine Dragoon, and they could see him clearly against the azure sky. A large shadow loomed in the distance. Rayen examined it closely. "He's heading for the Divine Tree!"  
  
Phil ignored the wind rushing through his ears. "Why would he want to go there?"  
  
Rayen shielded his eyes against the glaring light of the sun with his hand. "Obviously, he needs to be there to use the Moon Objects."  
  
The six-winged silhouette reached the Divine Tree and stopped, hovering in the air. He laid the unconscious body of Sean among the branches. He appeared to rummage through his armor, apparently looking for something. The distance between the Dragoons and the tree closed, and Rayen could see him pull out the three Moon Objects. "We need to go faster!"  
  
Then the Divine Dragoon did something very odd. He held the Moon Mirror up in the air, where it hung, suspended. He did the same with the Moon Gem, but slightly lower and at a different angle. Nothing happened for a few moments, but then the Dragoons stopped dead. A spot in the heavens, where the Moon that Never Sets had been destroyed more than a thousand years ago, suddenly glowed black, and a beam of darkness shot from the stellar anomaly. The beam was reflected off the surface of the Moon Mirror, and struck the Moon Gem.  
  
The gem acted as sort of a filter for the blackness, and a beam of transparent light projected from the Moon Gem onto the back of the prone Moon Child. An area on Sean's illuminated back was discolored from the rest, pulsing with a white luminescence. With a smirk of triumph, the Divine Dragoon shoved the Moon Dagger into the shining point. Sean uttered a hoarse cry as the Divine Dragoon withdrew the relic, the crystalline blade stained crimson with his blood. There was a blinding flash, and all of the Dragoons looked to the sky, with an oppressive sense of evil hanging on their shoulders.  
  
At first, nothing appeared to be happening. Then, the skies about the Divine Tree began to shift. A small hole opened in the air above the Divine Tree. It slowly started to grow larger, and electricity crackled at its edges. But it stopped after a while, and hung in the air, lightning bolts dancing around it.  
  
Phil raised an eyebrow. "That's it? A hole in the atmosphere? It's not even big. You'd think there would be a gigantic soul-sucking monster or something."  
  
Dawn carried Sean's limp body from the Divine Tree's branches, healing his wound. But the Divine Dragoon merely chuckled and spoke, his voice echoing like a death knoll. "The portal will take a few days to fully open. Healing the Moon Child's wound will do nothing. The damage has been done. Soon, this world will be planted firmly beneath our feet, and then we will finally achieve Soa's will and destroy every trace of life on this ball of mud you call Endiness."  
  
Rayen slipped the Dragon Buster onto his left hand, the yellow flaming blade bursting into radiant life. Drawing his own sword, he turned to the Divine Dragoon. "Whatever is coming out of that hole, you won't be around to welcome it."  
  
Kyra crossed her arms in indignation. "Wait. You're not going to try to fight him alone again, are you? He already beat you twice, we need to do this as a..."  
  
But the Wingly's words were lost on the Red-Eye, who was already soaring towards the Divine Dragoon, both swords at the ready. "He can't be serious."  
  
Phil smirked. "You don't seem to get it, Kyra. He's always serious."  
  
The Divine Dragoon seemed more than willing for a fight, and the black sword was in his hands in a blink of an eye. Blades clashed, and the battle begun. The Divine Dragoon's large weapon was more than able to parry both of Rayen's weapons at once, but he was continually dancing around the reach of the Dragon Buster. He obviously knew that a single nick from the Wingly blade could spell disaster. Spinning the black sword with surprising agility, he managed to parry all of Rayen's stokes single-handedly.  
  
Deciding to use his free hand to his advantage, a short blast from the cannon sent Rayen's sword spiraling from his grasp. Rayen was unfazed, however, slashing out at the Divine Dragoon with the Dragon Buster. The Divine Dragoon dodged, and was met heartily by a blazing projectile that detonated and sent him slamming into the Divine Tree. The Red-Eye made the most of this delay by retrieving his weapon.  
  
The battle raged on, neither side appearing to gain the upper hand. Finally, the Divine Dragoon went on the warpath. Slashing and spinning his weapon, he weaved in and out, always forcing Rayen to follow his movements. Rayen had no trouble parrying with his two weapons, but soon the Divine Dragoon started using his cannon as well, which made defense a great deal more complicated. He was knocked to the ground by a particularly well-aimed blast, and the Divine Dragoon was there in a flash, raising his sword to impale the Red-Eye. Rayen slammed his foot into the Divine Dragoon's stomach, and then hit him with another fireball, and was up on his feet, ready for the next round.  
  
Now the Divine Dragoon was tiring. He had been fighting constantly on very little rest, and his fatigue was starting to show. Finally, Rayen saw his chance. The Divine Dragoon came in with an overhead blow, and Rayen crossed his blades to block the strike. Swinging in with his own sword to draw away the Divine Dragoon's weapon, he thrusted in with the Dragon Buster, feeling a rush of triumph as it slid through armor and into flesh.  
  
The Divine Dragoon hissed in pain and alarm, but even more surprising was the deactivation of his armor. The Divine Dragon was fickle, and he saw no point in continuing to assist this warrior he deemed unworthy for the possession of his Spirit. So the Spirit abandoned the villain, leaving him to his fate. The stone fell towards the ground below.  
  
However, whatever had taken control of the man behind the return of the Dragons was not so willing to give up. He made himself as aerodynamic as possible, shooting downwards in an attempt to recapture the Spirit. If he could not reclaim it, all would be lost.  
  
The remainder of the group watched from a distance, but one of them refused to remain idle. Sean, his consciousness regained, broke away from the cluster of Dragoons, sprinting with all his strength towards the plummeting Spirit. He dove, snatching the Spirit away from the possessed man's grasping fingers. The next thing he felt was a surge of adrenaline, and then he felt six wings sprout from his back.  
  
Then Sean realized what was happening, and he turned to the former Divine Dragoon with a smirk of triumph on his face. As energy was sucked into the cannon, the new Divine Dragoon uttered a single word. "Mine."  
  
Then the beam shot forth, and the black creature and the man it possessed were disintegrated.  
  
Rayen, however, was preoccupied with something else. A strange glow was emitting from the Divine Tree, and the same light suddenly surrounded Rayen. He floated up into the air, staring in bewilderment at the shrinking ground below. All the Dragoons rushed to assist him, but they were too late. Rayen disappeared in a flash.  
  
Something clattered to the earth, and Nieva stooped over to examine it. "It's his Dragoon Spirit."  
  
She touched it, and it burst into crimson radiance. She turned to the others, puzzled. "What does this mean?"  
  
Oraeus hesitated before answering. "It means that the Red-Eye Dragoon Spirit has moved on..."  
  
Shade spoke aloud what the others dared not think. "And THAT means he's not coming back."  
  
Author's Note: Whee, confusing chappy! How can there be a Moon Child with no Moon? What's coming out of that portal? And what the hell happened to Rayen? Guess what? You people don't get to find out for a few more chapters, 'cause coming up next is more character development! Ha! Evil me. 


	44. Humanity

Author's Note: Why are you people still talking about Rayen? He's gone. History. Remember, the Red-Eye Spirit moved on to Nieva. Which means that the Dragon knows Rayen's not coming back. Period.  
  
OK, the next couple chapters are the much-requested character development. The only reason I waited until now is because they now have several days to wait until the portal fully opens, releasing whatever the hell is on the other side. Therefore, they have a chance to reflect on their past while they sit around the Divine Tree waiting. There will be a little segment on four characters: Shade, Oraeus, Dawn, and Kyra. K? Good.  
  
Losing my originality? Oh, I don't think you'll have to worry about that. This will get VERY original pretty soon...  
  
Chapter 44  
  
Shade sat with his back against the massive trunk of the Divine Tree, his swords and Dragoon Spirit at the ready, although the portal was still very small, and it had been less than an hour since its opening. Rayen was gone now, but the Dark Dragoon could not stop thinking about the boy and how much the Red-Eye reminded Shade of himself, many years ago. Shade knew what it was like to be caught in a vacuum. However, when forced into a situation against his will, the Fire Dragon Knight had handled himself much better than Shade had.  
  
In an ultimate twist of irony, Rayen had been punished for his success rather than rewarded. Rayen did not give in to the forces seeking to overwhelm him. Shade had, and he had paid the price. He had walked the dark paths of Endiness a great deal before he had been tortured and turned into the abomination he now was. But unlike Rayen, he had accepted his fate, and in doing so, failed. He had failed his family, his home, but more importantly, Shade had failed himself by consenting to walk the underbellies of Endiness rather than challenge the forces that had hurled him there, as Rayen had. Looking back on his deeds of the past, Shade supposed he deserved his twisted, accursed inhuman form...  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Shade sat in the bar silently. To a casual onlooker, he would have looked like any man of twenty-six, but they knew who he was. By reputation, at least. The group sat down in the seats around Shade. He did not look up, and made no notice that he had even seen them, but they seemed to be expecting that as well.  
  
The largest of them, who stood well over six feet tall, spoke first. "This is the guy they were talking about? He's just a kid!"  
  
Shade said nothing. Being called a kid did not bother him, despite his true age. They could call him whatever they wanted; it made no difference to him. He waited until they decided to outline whatever they wanted. But the giant did not appear to be finished.  
  
"Why even bother? He's an upstart, he probably can't fight worth..."  
  
He was dead before he finished the sentence, his throat slit by Shade's longer blade. The others gaped at him, amazed by the speed of the strike.  
  
Finally, one of the men gathered enough courage to speak. "You killed Joe..."  
  
Shade responded in a cold, sharp tone. "I do not work for fools. The world has no place for idiots. They waste oxygen."  
  
"You bastard! Get him!"  
  
In a few moments, four more lie dead at his feet. The only other people in the bar were unconscious, and the bartender appeared used to this sort of thing. In fact, he started to drag the bodies away and clean up the bloodstains on the floor. Shade wiped the blood from his swords, then returned them to their sheaths before walking out of the bar. In his arrogance, he failed to notice that one body was not accounted for.  
  
The sixth man stood outside, at a payphone. "You're right. He's good, very good. He's exactly what you're looking for. He killed all the others without breaking a sweat."  
  
He listened intently to the instructions buzzing through the receiver, and then spoke again. "All right, but I better be getting good money out of this. This man is dangerous."  
  
He hung up the phone and smiled mirthlessly. "The world has no place for idiots, huh? Well, when they're done with you, the world won't have a place for you either."  
  
A few hours later, Shade had fallen unconscious. How they had done it, Shade still didn't know. He suspected his drink had been drugged, but he didn't know for certain. All he knew is that he had awoken in that hellish lab, that squat building of horrors. They had tortured him there for months, twisting and maiming him without mercy. Shade didn't know why he had expected mercy; he had never given any of his own. Nevertheless, he hated these people, despised them with every bone in his body that they hadn't already broken.  
  
He had awoken one morning, chained to the wall, as always. How long it had been, he couldn't remember. He had lost track of the days by then. He went into a coughing fit, hacking up bodily fluids. The door opened, and a scientist in a contamination suit walked in. Shade sneered in contempt. The weakling was afraid he was contagious.  
  
The man's voice became a monotone as it passed through the suit's voice filter. "Well, Project Shade, we have a special experiment for today."  
  
Shade could not find sufficient words to express his hatred, so he settled for spitting at the man's face. The scientist merely wiped the glob of phlegm from his visor, and delivered a vicious kick to Shade's abdomen. Shade snarled like a beast, but relaxed in the chains, subdued.  
  
"I think it will be in your best interest to cooperate. If this experiment succeeds, we will grant you your freedom."  
  
Shade tensed up immediately. Never once had they mentioned releasing him, except in malicious jeering. The man held out a black stone, regarding it warily, as if fearing it would suddenly explode. Shade gazed at it with suppressed interest, but said nothing. This man was not in charge; Shade did not consider him important enough to be worth speaking to. Besides, he wasn't even sure if his vocal chords still worked.  
  
The buzzing monotone became angry. "What are you waiting for? Touch it!"  
  
Shade reached out to it, at it did explode, but into deep purple light. The man turned at shouted excitedly to the people watching from behind the glass observation window. Shade suddenly felt a surge of power, and with a primal roar; he burst forth from his manacles. The next moment was a blur, but his vision cleared, at the man in the yellow suit lay dead at his feet. He reached down and picked up the stone, and it burst into light once more. Black lightning crackled around his body, and he felt a rush of ecstasy.  
  
The transformation ceased, and Shade examined himself. Somehow, the scientists had managed to find a Dragoon Spirit, and it had reacted to him. He looked towards the observation window, and sneered as he saw the onlookers gazing in horror. He picked up his weapons, and in another flash of purple light, they were transformed as well. He burst through the reinforced glass pane as if it were balsa wood and the onlookers were destroyed in a flash of black magic.  
  
Shade went on a rampage throughout the lab, destroying all the scientists and freeing their victims. He killed all the monsters that attempted to attack him. He did not consider the ones that shrunk away cowardly; he viewed them as intelligent. They recognized his mastery and did not seek to challenge it. Eventually, his armor faded, but not before he had completely laid waste to the building and everything in it. He finally got a chance to examine himself in a mirror that had survived his fury, and he grimaced in disgust at his twisted visage. Tearing black strips from his clothes, he wrapped them around his nose and mouth, hiding them from view. He pulled up his hood and examined himself again. His eyes were the only visible part of his body. Good, that would do.  
  
As he left the building, he heard a pair of voices. Turning the corner, he whipped his blades at their throats. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"  
  
One of the two boys spoke. "I was about to ask you the same question."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
The vision faded from Shade's mind, and he audibly sighed. How much becoming a Dragoon had changed him! The quest had taught him a great deal, and even if it were to end now, and take his own life with it, he would never forget the way Rayen and the others had opened his eyes. They were his friends, the only ones he ever truly had since a childhood that seemed so far away now. They had taught him that the world was not such a bleak and hopeless place as he had once believed. If his death were to come soon, Shade wondered if Rayen was waiting for him at the gate of the void.  
  
Author's Note: Whee, that last paragraph was surprisingly nice, especially for Shade. That was a lot longer than I had expected it to be, I thought I was going to do a chapter for two characters, but Shade's was long enough to get its own! I don't know how long the others will be yet, though. OK, there's your character development, so review! 


	45. Innocence Lost

Author's Note: Well, Rayen is gone, but he's not necessarily GONE. I mean, we still don't know exactly what happened to him. Well, you don't, but I do. All that actually happened is that the Dragon that resides in the Red- Eye Spirit believes that Rayen is not coming back, so he moved on to Nieva. Because of this, everyone else believes he's dead, but you never know...  
  
Chapter 45  
  
Dawn stood with her berdiche in hand, the sharp thrusting tip sunken into the soft earth. In her other hand, she held the golden casing that had once contained her Dragoon Spirit. She had kept it secret for seven years. She brushed blonde strands of hair from her face, then looked upwards to the starry sky, the twinkling heavens reflected in her emerald eyes. Her fingers caressed the smooth metal, and a flood of memories burst from their dam, rushing to the top of her consciousness.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Dawn sat in the living room of her suburban home, which was unusually quiet that particular evening. Occasionally the silence was broken by a fit of hacking coughs, but otherwise the serenity of the home went undisturbed. The ten-year-old Dawn glanced apprehensively at the closed door in the hallway at regular intervals, but her worries appeared to be misplaced.  
  
A few minutes later, a hoarse voice croaked out her name. Dawn got to her feet, then crept to the hallway. Opening the closed door a crack, she peeked inside the room. "Yes?"  
  
Two figures were in the bed. One of them, her father, lay in the bed motionless, except for periodical spasms of coughing. Her mother, however, was sitting up; a book in her lap, examining her child with worried eyes. "Come here, Dawn."  
  
The child slipped through the open doorway. As she walked towards the bed, she examined her father. His condition had gotten worse. His eyes were glazed, and there were several discolored blotches on his skin. Dawn looked to her mother. Her mother sighed. "Dawn, your father is very sick. He's... contagious. The only reason I haven't caught it yet is because I have this."  
  
She withdrew a pendant from around her neck. Dawn gasped as the diamond sparkled in the lamplight. "Mom, where did you get that?"  
  
"I found it many years ago. Your father set it in this pendant for me."  
  
Dawn nodded. That would make sense, her father was a jeweler. "But how do you know it keeps you safe from Daddy's disease?"  
  
"It does, Dawn. I don't know how or why, but I can tell that it protects me. I've never gotten sick while I've had this with me. But... I want you to have it now, Dawn. Your father and I do not want you to get sick too. The only reason you haven't come down with it already is because you're young and Daddy doesn't leave his bed much anymore."  
  
Dawn looked perplexed. "But if you give it to me, won't you get sick like Daddy?"  
  
Dawn's mother sighed. "Yes, I will. But you are young, and we want you to be healthy for the rest of your life. You're too young to get sick."  
  
"But everyone gets sick..."  
  
"Not like this. This is different. Besides, I want to be with your father when he... passes on."  
  
Dawn took the pendant, and felt a strange surge of calmness rush through her. She put it on, tucking the stone beneath her clothes.  
  
Her mother nodded gravely. "Good. Now, listen. Nobody knows about that besides your father and I. Do not show or tell anyone about it."  
  
Dawn was once again confused, but she could see her mother was very serious, so she nodded to show she understood.  
  
"Good. You may go now, Dawn. Your father and I need rest."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
They had died less than a year later. Dawn sighed and fingered the stone. She had moved in with a friend after their deaths, and although she was treated like a member of the family, it had never truly replaced her real parents. She had kept true to her word, nobody had known about the pendant. Dawn sometimes wondered if her mother had known what the diamond truly was. It didn't really matter, but she still couldn't help but think her mother may have discovered the gem's nature.  
  
Kyra ran a whetstone meticulously across one of the claws, running it carefully around the wicked barb. During her childhood, the elder Winglies of the forest had considered her barbaric in her dissatisfaction with the quiet haven she had grown up in. She had always been eager to leave the forest. But when she left, she found the world not quiet as wonderful as she had hoped.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
The elders in the Wingly forest had always been able to put up with the youth of the village, putting down their destructive tendencies to curiosity and an outgoing nature, traits they admired but had lost during their years of quiet solitude. However, there was one particular child who took these traits to potentially dangerous levels. Fourteen-year-old Kyra was a delightful young Wingly, but she alone caused the elders more grief than all of the other children combined. In fact, when another child was involved in mischief, Kyra was usually in one way or another connected with the incident.  
  
One day, a storehouse had a small explosion. Being an isolated community, imported goods were extremely important. Eventually, Kyra was linked to the incident and taken before the Council of Elders. The Chief Elder was not pleased. "Kyra, I'm afraid I do not understand. What on the green world of Endiness possessed you to destroy that warehouse?"  
  
The teenage Wingly stomped her foot indignantly. "I didn't do it on purpose! We were just goofing around, and then..."  
  
"Why were you 'goofing around' in a storeroom? You know how important those are."  
  
"If we weren't so solitary we wouldn't need those warehouses," Kyra grumbled.  
  
"You have expressed several times that you wish to leave the forest."  
  
"Yeah! Outside would be much more interesting than this place. It's the same old thing, over and over again!"  
  
"Very well, then. Go."  
  
Kyra looked at the elder suspiciously. "Just like that?"  
  
The Chief Elder turned to the Council, which unanimously nodded. "Apparently so. The shield will be taken down momentarily so that you may leave. You may go gather whatever you wish to take, but hurry."  
  
Kyra nodded in excitement and was off in a flash.  
  
One of the councilmen spoke up. "Are you sure this is wise? She is only fourteen."  
  
"Kyra is fully capable of defending herself, something you should be well aware of by now. She should have no trouble."  
  
A few moments later, Kyra walked out of the forest, the magical shield closing behind her. She couldn't believe it. She was finally out of that forest! She'd have to come back occasionally to visit her parents, but she was finally free to do as she pleased. She started out on the road to Bale. She was sure she could find something there.  
  
As she walked along, Kyra heard a slurred voice. "Hey, it's a little girl!"  
  
Kyra turned her head to regard a human male, stumbling towards her. He mumbled something incoherent that Kyra couldn't decipher. An unpleasant scent of alcohol wafted through the air, and she drew back in disgust. There was wine in the forest, of course, but she had never seen a drunk before.  
  
The intoxicated man shuffled forward, and muttered something again. This time, Kyra heard him, and she punched him in the jaw. He fell like a sack of bricks, unconscious. She leaned against a tree, thinking. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea. Looking back towards the forest, she knew that there was nothing she could do. The elders would not take down the shield, and even if they did, Kyra did not want to give them that satisfaction. She strapped on her claws, then picked up her belongings.  
  
The elders wanted to see what she would make of the world. Fine. She would show them.  
  
Author's Note: OK, another chapter over. Next up is Oraeus, taking a look back on what it was like growing up different from everyone else. Sure, we all feel different at some point, but at least we're all the same species. Don't forget to review! 


	46. Flames of Hatred

Author's Note: Yeah, Kyra does sound a little like Meru back when she was still in the forest, but she's not much like that now, is she? Maybe something happened to her... *starts stroking his chin evilly* Yeah, I know, you're supposed to have a beard to do that, but gimme a break. I'm fourteen.  
  
Chapter 46  
  
Oraeus sat in a meditative pose, the haft of his weapon resting across his folded legs. With his eyes closed, he almost appeared to be asleep. But beneath that calm exterior, a primal beast raged, beaten and jeered until it had been worked into frenzy.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Twelve-year-old Oraeus appeared to be a normal boy. He was incredibly strong, and the best athlete in their considerably large school. He did well enough in school that no one would suspect his parentage. However, after his thirteenth birthday, all started to go downhill. He grew more than a foot in two years, and by the time he was fourteen, he was over six and a half feet tall.  
  
This was all more than anyone could ignore. Everyone knew that Giganto blood ran through his veins by then. He was still respected for his abnormal strength and physical prowess, but people steadily drifted away from the young half-Giganto. He dropped out of school six months later. Nobody tried to stop him. Truant laws were made for humans, not 'gorillas', a derogatory name for someone with Giganto heritage.  
  
Not trusting the human society, Oraeus's parents quickly initiated his training as a warrior. He combined combat studies with home schooling, but very quickly the young Oraeus lost interest in the latter. The human society would have no place for him, no matter how intelligent he truly was.  
  
Three years later, Oraeus's parents were murdered by human supremacists, members of a cult who believed that humans were above all other species, Gigantos above all others. They viewed Oraeus and his family as abominations, disgusting offspring of a human and what they considered a monster. The seventeen-year old Oraeus was forced to flee his home or risk meeting the same fate.  
  
Wandering the continent of Tiberoa, Oraeus eventually found the proverbial eye of the hurricane. Away from human civilization, a group of half-Giganto victims of predicaments such as his own had settled down in a small community near the ancient home of the Gigantos. Oraeus lived there happily for more than thirty years, separated from human prejudices and cruelty. He was married and had a son, who grew up far from the influences of greed and hatred that drove human society.  
  
But nothing lasts forever, and Oraeus's tranquil existence away from humans was hardly an exception.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Oraeus hauled the bundle of logs to the building site, then untied the knot that bound them and laid them in the pile where they would be carved into planks that would make up the new home. He wiped the sweat from his slanted brow, for carrying such a large load from the forest was no easy task. He spotted his son, already twelve years old, diligently carving one of the massive trunks. The boy looked up at his father, and the pair exchanged a quick wave before they returned to work.  
  
Fastening his large hunting knife to his belt and hefting his axe, Oraeus started to trek back to the forest, looking for game that would feed his family that night. The axe was too unruly to actually use for hunting; it was truly a precaution in case there were any particularly ravenous bears wandering through the area. Feeling the buckskin wrapped around the haft of his axe in typical Giganto fashion, Oraeus felt a strange contentment in the pit of his stomach. This was simplicity, where everyone pitched in for the good of them all instead of the good of themselves. Away from the corruption of the human world, they found peace with nature.  
  
Making sure his axe was safely secured in his back harness, Oraeus stalked through the forest with surprising agility, especially for one so large. With practiced finesse, the half-Giganto slunk through the underbrush, eyes roving for stray game. Finally he spotted a large buck, with huge antlers of at least twelve points. Oraeus drew back his knife, took careful aim, and hurled the weapon at the deer. The buck fell to the earth, dying quickly and painlessly, with its body almost completely intact.  
  
Withdrawing the knife and tucking it back in its sheath, Oraeus grasped the body of the deer beneath its underbelly, and with a grunt, hoisted it into his arms. If treated correctly, it would be more than enough to last his family for almost an entire week. As he headed back towards the village, the half-Giganto picked up a faint scent of wood smoke, but he paid it no heed. There had been a small forest fire earlier, and the smell was known to linger for several days.  
  
The village came into view, and Oraeus dropped the kill in horror. The whole town was ablaze, smoke curling into the air in huge clouds. Ignoring the deer, he sprinted back towards the inferno. The body of the buck lie in the fresh grass, its glazed eye pointed towards the smoke-obscured heavens.  
  
Attempting to fight off the incredible heat beating down on his shoulders, Oraeus ran through the flaming houses, searching for survivors. Finally, his worst fears were confirmed. The charred body of his wife was sprawled outside their former home. Picking her up gingerly, he bowed his head in sorrow. Sobs wracked his large frame. Then Oraeus heard loud voices, and he laid his wife's body down gently. Perhaps there were survivors in need of assistance, and there was no hope for her any longer. He hefted his axe, having the weapon ready in case he needed to get inside a burning house.  
  
Then a heavy boot slammed down on the haft of the weapon, and Oraeus looked up in surprise to see a small group of about half a dozen humans, mocking smirks on their faces. His eyes further widened when he saw several were carrying empty bottles of gasoline.  
  
One of the humans spoke in a jeering voice. "Hey, look! One got away. Blow his brains out, Jack."  
  
The human whose foot rested on his axe sneered maliciously and casually cocked a pistol at the half-Giganto's skull. Plunging his free hand into the leather sheath, Oraeus withdrew his knife in a flash, slicing through the flesh of the human's neck. Wrenching his hand upwards, Oraeus snapped the man's jaw. As the human's limp body fell to the earth, Oraeus was already on his feet, weapon in hand, before the ill-fated antagonist's companions could do so much as goggle at their dead comrade.  
  
Within a few seconds, they all lie dead on the charred earth, some with weapons half-drawn in their hands. Oraeus let his breath out in a shudder and wiped the blood from his axe. Then, what he realized made his spirits sink even farther. The ruins of the village and the carnage he had caused the humans blended and became one. Too late, Oraeus realized he had done exactly what the humans had wanted him to; he had succumbed to the hatred that drove them to their acts of violence against people different from themselves. They passed off half-Gigantos as cruel and uncivilized brutes, and with maimed human bodies at his feet, who was Oraeus to argue?  
  
Running his fingers one last time over the engraved handle, he thrust his knife back into its sheath. This blade he did not clean. He left the human's blood on the weapon, testament to the deeds he had done when he allowed his hatred to overtake his reason.  
  
Once he had let the humans control him. Never again.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Oraeus drew the knife and examined it. The blade had still not been cleaned; indeed, he had not used it since the incident. Most of the blood had flaked off, but to Oraeus it was still as wet and shining as it was the day he had drawn the blood from the throat of the human. It had been fifteen years now. It was his son's birthday. He would have been twenty- seven.  
  
Suddenly, there was something that made Oraeus withdraw his attention from his memories. The branches of the Divine Tree began to shake, and there was a blinding flash of light.  
  
Phil grabbed his weapon and the Jade Spirit as he shielded his eyes. "It looks like they're finally here!"  
  
But when he withdrew his hand from his eyes, the sight was hardly what he had predicted. A sphere of light hovered in the air, and then it slowly descended and disappeared. What stood there instead was the last thing the Dragoons had expected. Rayen's feet touched on the ground. The former Red- Eye was completely unharmed, exactly as he had left, except for a lopsided grin that now graced his face.  
  
"Miss me?"  
  
Author's Note: Awww... poor Oraeus. So sad... *sniff* On the other hand, Rayen's back! Yes, I lied. I didn't actually think you people would believe me, and I got sick of you guys trying (key word there) to predict my plot. Next chapter, the all-knowing Rayen explains what the hell is going on! Yay! 


	47. Nature's Scales

Author's Note: O_o What? What gave you the idea that Rayen is evil now? Just because he was smiling? Is he not allowed to smile or something?  
  
Although Kongol was the last Giganto, it's not necessarily true that Oraeus in a descendant of his. Before Kongol, there were many Gigantos, and one of them could have had a child with a human before Kongol was even born. Belzac was half-Giganto, as you may remember. Thus, the result is a half- Giganto, and they couple with more half-Gigantos, and so on. So, Oraeus COULD be a descendant of Kongol, but he could not. There's no real way of telling unless I specifically say so.  
  
Yes, Rayen is back. I know it was obvious he wasn't gone forever, and he wasn't gone nearly long enough, but hell, I needed a way for someone to find out what's going on, and he needed to be back before the portal opened. So that was the way I chose. Sue me. No, wait. Don't. I don't have any money; you wouldn't want to sue me anyway.  
  
Rebirth of a Legend passed the 60,000-word mark last chapter. There are only 7 Legend of Dragoon fics in the entire category that are that long. Yay. I feel special. I did it in three months, too. Yay again.  
  
Chapter 47  
  
Phil dropped his weapon in relief. "So, where the hell have you been?"  
  
Rayen sat down with his back against the huge trunk of the Divine Tree. "Ah, nowhere important. Just having a brief chat with the creator of the universe, you know, the ordinary stuff."  
  
Phil raised an eyebrow. "You're joking, right?"  
  
"You said it yourself, Phil. I never joke."  
  
Phil spoke again, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "OK then, what did this 'creator of the universe' say, oh almighty messenger to the gods?"  
  
Shade was less skeptical. "Did you find out what is waiting on the other end of that portal?"  
  
Rayen's smile faded, and his face became grave. "Yes, I did."  
  
Phil finally realized Rayen was being serious. "So, what is it?"  
  
Rayen sighed resignedly before speaking again. "Well, we'd better start at the beginning..."  
  
He stood up, gazing up at the starry night sky before starting the tale. "The divine being watches over all of creation. The divine being's duty is to maintain the balance of nature. To do so, life and death, good and evil, creation and destruction, must all be in constant tandem. Therefore, the divine being, or Soa as we call him, is made up of not one, but two entities. One is the Creator, the one that we all acknowledge as Soa. However, most people do not know of the other entity."  
  
Phil interrupted, but Rayen did not seem angered. He had asked the same question himself. "So, wait. There's two gods?"  
  
Rayen shook his head. "No. They are both part of one being."  
  
Dawn looked up from where her chin rested on her folded hands. "Like a split personality."  
  
Rayen looked surprised. "Actually, it's a great deal like a split personality. Anyway, the other entity is known only as the Murderer. While it is the Creator's duty to create life and maintain it, it is the Murderer's job to take it away and destroy it. The two constantly clash, and because there is an equal amount of effort put forth by both entities, they counterbalance each other, and neither side dominates. When the Murderer created the Moon Prophecy, the Creator limited its usage by creating the Moon Objects. When the Murderer gave Melbu Frahma knowledge of the Moon Objects, the Creator gave Charle knowledge on the ability to create the Signet Spheres. They are constantly checking each other's power."  
  
Shade's brown eyes narrowed. "Do they not realize they are the same being? If they did, wouldn't they not throw themselves at each other when all their jobs truly are is to counterbalance each other instead of trying to gain supremacy?"  
  
"That's a good point. Yes, they do realize that they are the same being. However, their single most primordial instinct is to attempt to gain power over the other. They cannot fight it. Everything the Creator makes the Murderer curses. Humans were damned with greed and lust, Winglies with arrogance and disdain, and Gigantos with brutality and ineptitude. Thus, all life is imperfect, and the balance continues to reign."  
  
Oraeus's fists clenched at the mention of Gigantos, but he relaxed. As much as he hated to admit it, true Gigantos were brutal and inept. But the true problem was that humans had trouble not applying the same adjectives to half-Gigantos.  
  
Rayen went on. "But in the past millennium, the Murderer's presence seems to have lessened. There have been no wars in the past thousand years, only minor skirmishes. Life expectancy has skyrocketed; people just aren't dying as much as they used to. At first, the Creator believed the Murderer had burned himself out after the Second Dragon Campaign, but in the past thirty years or so he's gotten suspicious. Thus, he returned the Dragoon Spirits to Endiness."  
  
Dawn jolted when she heard Rayen mention the date. Her mother had found the Silver Dragoon Spirit thirty years ago. Her Spirit must have been one of the first to return. It was all starting to make sense.  
  
Phil scratched the back of his head. "So the Creator made the Dragoon Spirits?"  
  
Rayen nodded and continued. "Yes, but both sides of the divine being agreed to their creation. The Dragoons are the ultimate defenders of the balance, because whether they are used for protection or destruction is determined solely by the people who wield their power. Anyway, right before I found my Dragoon Spirit and this all started, the Creator learned why the Murderer had been so seemingly docile for the past thousand years. During the past millennium, the Murderer has been saving his energies, using only minimal amounts of his power so that he appears beaten, but not plotting revenge. But he is in reality putting those energies to better use."  
  
Rayen stopped, then looked at the portal that hovered menacingly over the gigantic tree. "On the other side of that gateway is an army."  
  
Phil shrugged. "No big deal, how large is this army?  
  
"Its size is unfathomable. Everything that has lived or been born in the past one thousand twenty-six years has a counterpart on the other side. Everything, animals, humans, Winglies, even Dragons."  
  
Nieva seemed troubled at this, and the Sacred Sister voiced her concerns aloud. "But the Murderer can't create, can he? He can only destroy."  
  
Rayen nodded. "True. But he didn't truly create them. Spawned would be a better word. Each of those demons is made from the dark emotions of their copies, their anger, their fear, and their sorrow. Remember the Divine Dragoon? When the Murderer watched him release the Dragons, he decided to reveal himself to the man, use him to open the portal. His plan worked. The fool lent his body to his demon clone, and the Divine Dragoon was the result. He sabotaged me and stole the Divine Dragoon Spirit, then used its power to gain possession of the Moon Objects and the Moon Child. Then he was able to open the gateway through which the army will now pass through."  
  
Phil took this opportunity to make a sarcastic crack. "Do they always intervene this much, or are they just giving us special treatment?"  
  
Rayen sighed. "They are manipulating the world every day. They tailor the situations to the way they believe that will profit them most. However, they have no control over the decisions we make. They just doctor the world around us and hope that we do what they want. Forcing us to do something is the one thing that is truly beyond their powers. As often as not, we take a different direction. That is what frustrates them most."  
  
Sean spoke up for the first time. Now only Kyra remained silent. "But what I don't get is, how can there be a Moon Child without the Moon that Never Sets?"  
  
Rayen gave a small chuckle before he answered. "Ah, now there was the Murderer's one stroke of genius. The Moon that Never Sets is truly only a front, while the real danger lies inside it. The moon was hollow. Inside it was a vortex of pure magical energy. When he learned of it, the Creator limited its power by only allowing it to grant the status of Moon Child to one person every one hundred and eight years. Every time a Moon Child is born, the vortex expends the enormous amount of magical energy it gives to the Moon Child. The Moon that Never Sets glowed red every hundred and eight years because of that magical energy leaving the vortex and entering the body of the Moon Child. Thus, the Moon Prophecy was born. After the Moon that Never Sets was destroyed, the vortex remained, but there is no longer a visible sign that a Moon Child is being born."  
  
Shade stood up. "But there's one thing I don't understand. Why did the Creator tell you all of this?"  
  
"Because there was one last creation he made as a last resort, when all else was doomed to fail. The Guardian Dragoon."  
  
Another puzzled look crossed Phil's face. "Guardian Dragon? I've never heard of one of those..."  
  
Rayen smiled. "That's because there isn't one."  
  
Phil grew even more confused. "Then how do you get a Spirit if a Dragon has never died?"  
  
"Simple. I make my own."  
  
He held out his hand, palm upwards, and suddenly a beam of light shot from each of the seven other Spirits. The Dragoons looked down at their gems, but they remained unharmed. In Rayen's palm sat a new Spirit, exactly identical to the others, except that it appeared to be made of clear crystal. Rayen frowned down at it, apparently disappointed. "It is incomplete. I must go to Ulara. They have something I need there."  
  
Kyra finally broke the silence, speaking for the first time since Rayen had arrived. "You can't go there. Ulara disappeared eight hundred years ago, with a mountain sprouting up in its place."  
  
Rayen turned to her. "Don't you find that slightly odd?"  
  
The Wingly tossed her head impatiently. "Of course, but explorers have checked every inch of that mountain. There's nothing unusual about it, just how it got there."  
  
"Well, thanks for the load of reassurance, but I'm sure I can find it. I'll borrow Balaeris for a little while, and I'll be back in a day or two."  
  
Kyra still wasn't convinced. "What if the portal opens while you're gone?"  
  
"It won't. Even if it did, one young Dragon won't make too much of a difference, and if my Dragoon Spirit doesn't work, I won't be much good anyway."  
  
The Violet Dragoon shook her head, her mane of silver hair rippling. "You're wasting your time."  
  
Rayen shrugged. "If I'm wasting my time, then I might as well be quick about wasting it so I can get back. Nieva, you don't mind me taking Balaeris, do you?"  
  
The Sacred Sister waved her hand. "Of course. As far as I'm concerned, he belongs to you anyway."  
  
"All right then." Rayen motioned to the young Dragon, and Balaeris responded eagerly. As Rayen slid onto the crimson-scaled back, the Red-Eye took off, wings slicing through the night air.  
  
Once the other Dragoons were out of sight, and the Divine Tree was a mere twig on the ground below, Balaeris spoke to his rider. "Why do think that we can find this city? Kyra said people checked all of it, right?"  
  
Rayen folded his hands behind his head, his hair whipping about in the wind. "The explorers saw what the Winglies wanted them to see. Do not worry, they will admit us."  
  
Author's Note: I basically rewrote Endiness theology in this chapter. *blink, pause* *shrugs* Ah well, sucks for them.  
  
So there isn't a Red-Eye/Divine fusion, there's an everything fusion. I know it's not exactly original, but wait a little while. You'll find out that there's a lot more in that Spirit than even Rayen knows about... *insert evil chuckle here*  
  
Anyway, I explained all about the portal and the Moon Objects and stuff, so be happy. I hope that got rid of all the questions and junk like that.  
  
Plushies... I could make a lot of money off of those... *summons a horde of plushies* Yay! *grabs one of each character for himself* *dances around with a Rayen and a Shade plushie taped to his head* Buy yours today! O_o I have issues. 


	48. Ulara

Author's Note: Striker. Not Strider, although I do like Lord of the Rings. Anyway, you people can have as many plushies as you want. Not like I can actually sell them. Yeah, this story is pretty long, and it will get even longer. I'm not even close to done yet, rest assured.  
  
Chapter 48  
  
The Red-Eye Dragon and his rider sped towards the mountain that had mysteriously sprouted up from the ground more than eight hundred years ago. As the distance between Balaeris and the peak closed, the Dragon began to become anxious. He shouted to Rayen, who was shielding his eyes against the wind. "Are you sure about this?"  
  
Rayen's answer was simple and predictable. "Yes. Keep going."  
  
The Dragon sighed in resignation, then examined the slope with his keen vision. "Where do you want me to land?"  
  
"You're not landing anywhere. Fly into the mountain."  
  
Whatever Balaeris was expecting, it wasn't that. "Into the mountain? Are you nuts?"  
  
"Haven't you people asked me that question enough? No, I am not insane. Like I said, the Winglies will admit us."  
  
Balaeris couldn't shake his doubts. "What if they decide not to let us in?"  
  
Rayen smiled grimly. "Then we'll crash into the rock and you'll probably break your spine."  
  
The Dragon's crimson feline pupils narrowed. "That's reassuring."  
  
"I thought it would be."  
  
They were only a few hundred feet from the mountainside now. Balaeris could see the animals skittering away from his approach. "We're gonna hit!"  
  
Rayen remained calm. "No, we aren't."  
  
Beating his wings one last time, Balaeris shut his eyes hard and braced himself for impact.  
  
None came.  
  
Balaeris eased one eye open, then gasped. The Dragon turned his serpentine neck backwards and saw the same landscape behind them. But this was definitely not the inside of a mountain. An enormous city spanned out before them, trees and plants in full bloom even in midwinter.  
  
Rayen smirked in satisfaction. "Told you so."  
  
A young male Wingly approached the pair. "Welcome to Ulara. Mistress Frahma has been waiting for you."  
  
The Dragon's eyes opened wide. "Charle Frahma? But she's over twelve thousand years old! She can't still be alive!"  
  
The Wingly chuckled. "I assure you she is. We never age under this enchantment. She will remain alive until it suits her otherwise. In the meantime, why don't we take you her? She's been anxious to meet you ever since she heard."  
  
Rayen slipped the crystal Spirit back into his pocket as discreetly as he could. He didn't want anyone to know that didn't have to. "How did she know we were coming?"  
  
The Wingly shook his head. "I do not know, Mistress Frahma was very tight- lipped about the whole thing. Come."  
  
With a shrug, Rayen followed the Wingly to a teleporter, while two more attendants appeared to take care of Balaeris during Rayen's absence. There was a flash of light, and the two were encircled in a green globe of magic and transported to the receiving end, where a small gaggle of Winglies dressed in elder's robes stood waiting. Suddenly, a shrill voice piped up loudly.  
  
"Oh, excellent, you've arrived! It's so nice to meet someone from the outside after eight hundred years, the outside being everywhere except this little city, naturally. Of course, if we wanted visitors, we wouldn't have gone about with this silly mountain business. Horrid idea, if you ask me. However, not all people have as good intentions as you, so I suppose the shield has some merit. We know your intentions, of course. We've been watching you this whole time. Dreadful state of affairs going on out there, just dreadful. But I hope that doesn't impede the enjoyment of your visit, after all, it's so pleasant having a visitor, especially a fine young man like yourself. The people around here are wonderful, of course, but it does get a little monotonous after eight centuries. As I was saying to my good friend yesterday..."  
  
Rayen interrupted as politely as he could. "Erm, if you don't mind, Mistress Frahma..."  
  
At this moment, one of the elders intercepted Charle Frahma through the stream of conversation. Whispering in her ear, he said something Rayen couldn't pick up. Charle's eyes widened, and her smile got, if possible, even larger. "Oh! Of course, of course! Follow me, child. This way!"  
  
Charle started walking briskly in another direction, and Rayen followed, leaving the swarm of elders behind, who were looking after Charle anxiously, as if unsure she should be left alone. From what he knew of the ancient Wingly, Rayen already agreed with them. Charle continued from where she had left off. "It's nice to know that what you need had some use in it. Unfortunately, we never knew what it was for before now. I received it after my dear brother Melbu left; it used to be his. But he didn't make it, because he was constantly studying it. I watched him ponder over it several times, so I kept it. We've been trying for thousands of years now, but we still never found any use for the thing. Many of the researchers wanted to throw it out, but I wouldn't let them. I suppose it retains a little sentimental value. Having it for nearly twelve thousand years does make an impression on you, of course, and it belonged to Melbu... poor Melbu, nobody really understood him, not even that horrid Faust character. I don't think even I knew what went on in that head of his. Dealing with terrible people like that Faust, then stirring up war. I'm not sure he was quite right in the head near the end. Brilliant man, my brother, but always so pessimistic, so brooding. Not good for a boy. Ah, here we are."  
  
They stopped in a small, enclosed, windowless room. A chest sat in the corner, unlocked. Assuming that the artifact lay inside, Rayen walked over to the chest and lifted the lid back. It was empty. Charle gave a small laugh. "Oh, of course it wouldn't be in there. Much too obvious. Besides, that chest isn't nearly big enough to hold all our relics. We have quite an extensive collection, but I daresay you'll want to see it for yourself."  
  
With a simple flick of her wrist, Charle sent the chest soaring up into the air, dropping neatly back onto the ground with a soft thud, and even snapping the lid shut again. While the display of magic was undoubtedly impressive, especially for such little effort expended, Rayen was slightly more interested with what lay beneath the chest. Another teleporter was revealed now, and the chest's only purpose appeared to be hiding that teleporter from view. Rayen and Charle stepped on the pad, and in another flash of neon green light, they were transported to somewhere else altogether.  
  
When the magical globe faded, Rayen found himself staring at the most interesting collection of objects he had ever seen. Artifacts of all shapes, sizes, and types were carefully arranged in rows of glass cases. Rayen followed Charle through the seemingly endless rows of relics, until they reached a single case at the end of the room. A knife sat in this case, quite ordinary and unassuming. But one look at Charle told Rayen that this was their destination. "All we know about it is that it is exceptionally good at cutting, but that was hardly what interested Melbu. No, there was something about it that fascinated him, something that nobody could find, not even him. I think he might have had suspicious of a hidden power, but he was gone long before he could find it. Luckily, the Creator came to me last night, and told me that you needed it for something that would affect the future of Endiness as we know it."  
  
Rayen gingerly lifted the glass container with one hand, then pulled out the crystal Spirit with his other. As soon as the Spirit was out of his pocket, the knife started to gleam with a strange light. With a mind of its own, it lifted into the air, and rushed at the prism. Rayen let go of the Spirit and jumped back in surprise, but the Spirit remained suspended in the air. The knife made four quick strokes. As Rayen leaned in to examine the work, he saw that the four slashes made a thin diamond that looked a great deal like a cat's pupil... or a Dragon's. Their work finished, both artifacts fell to the ground with a clatter. As he stooped down to touch the Spirit, it burst into a brilliant myriad of colors that shifted and danced before his eyes. Scooping them both up off the floor, he offered the knife back to Charle, but the ancient Wingly held up a hand. "Keep it. I daresay it will be of more use to you than to us, sitting in its case. Its sheath is in the case as well."  
  
Rayen nodded, then picked up the sheath. Unlike the knife itself, the sheath was very ornate, made of silver inlaid with pearl. Slipping the weapon into its covering, Rayen put the knife into his pocket with the Spirit. Charle clapped her hands once in satisfaction, then spoke again. "I assume you must be tired after your journey. Come, we will find a place for you to sleep."  
  
As if Charle's words had triggered something within him, Rayen suddenly felt a deep surge of exhaustion. Following Charle through the maze of teleporters, he was eventually led to a small room that overlooked the city's gardens below. The perfume of the flowers had a soporific effect on the young human. Not even bothering to change, Rayen fell onto the soft mattress and was instantly asleep.  
  
Author's Note: It's official, Charle talks WAY too much. DDX, Rayen got into Ulara because Charle and the others let him in. He doesn't need Rose's choker for that. Yay, Rayen's new Spirit is complete, soon we'll see what happens when he decides to use it! Okey dokey, a new chapter is up, so review! 


	49. War on the Horizon

Author's Note: Freefall, I already told you. Take however many you want. O_o Not like I can actually do anything with 'em. Erm, Aerena, Rayen's gonna need that knife... *takes it back from her* Sorry.  
  
Chapter 49  
  
Despite his exhaustion, Rayen's sleep was restless. Malevolent visions plagued his subconscious, gripping his dreams with an iron fist.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Rayen stood alone, in an endless expanse of nothingness. The only existing thing was the floor beneath him, which appeared to be made of clouds that shifted and reshaped themselves constantly. Rayen wondered how the clouds were solid enough to support him. Suddenly, the floor shifted out from underneath him, and he was falling. He landed hard, and shook his head, clearing his vision.  
  
He looked up, and saw a gigantic being hovering in the air, above the shifting curtain of clouds. Whether it was male or female, human, Wingly, or Giganto, Rayen couldn't tell. It was changing so rapidly it was impossible to keep up. Its eyes were closed its legs folded, and its hands positioned around a strange orb that pulsed a clouded yellow color. Rayen got to his feet and glanced around, trying to figure out where he was.  
  
In an instant, the horde was before him, stretching out farther than he could see. The enormous army was far worse than even he had imagined. It appeared to be pure evil, twisted and given living forms. Rayen pulled the newly completed Spirit from his pocket, focusing on its crystalline depths. But something went horribly wrong.  
  
Fiery pain surged through his body, and Rayen gasped. He fell to his knees, trying to remove the Spirit from his grasp. But it was no use. His fingers were melded to the crystal that was slowly, inexorably killing him. He saw his friends fall one by one, crushed beneath the tide of darkness, and he was powerless to help them.  
  
With a supreme strain of effort, Rayen wrenched his head up to the being in the sky. The shifting enigma in the sky was gone, replaced by a black entity of undiluted maliciousness. The hands were twisted and clawed, and the orb had become a flaming red ball in the sky. The dark legion spread forth like a disease, overtaking the meager defenses that rose to halt its approach. Through all of this Rayen knelt on the ground, his hands clasped to the Spirit.  
  
Then all went black.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Rayen awoke in a cold sweat. He grasped his temples, his pounding heart and haggard breathing gradually return to normal. He slipped a hand into his pocket, pulling out the crystal Spirit. Its rainbow glow had reduced to a half-hearted pulse. Rayen sighed in relief. He had let his worries control him subconsciously, nothing more. A soft knock came from the door. Rayen fell back onto the bed, shoving the Spirit back into his pocket just in case. "Yeah."  
  
An attendant eased the door open. "Your friends have arrived."  
  
Rayen sat up again, placing a hand to his forehead. "My friends? How'd they get to Ulara?"  
  
"Mistress Frahma brought them here. They are waiting for you."  
  
"Must've slept later than I thought. All right, I'm up."  
  
Rayen walked out of his room and to one of the teleporters. He reappeared in the dragon stables. All seven were there, sound asleep. He walked over to Balaeris, who was constantly rolling over in his sleep. "Good morning, dragon breath."  
  
Balaeris opened one eye, yawned widely, then rolled over and went back to sleep. Rayen chuckled. "I see you're not much of a morning person either." He navigated his way through the maze of teleport pads as instructed by Charle, and eventually found the main congregation room. Sure enough, everyone was waiting for him.  
  
Phil spoke first. "The four of us are heading over to the sparring room. Wanna come?"  
  
Rayen sighed. "I'll catch up with you later. There's something I want to take care of."  
  
He risked a sideward glance at Shade, who nodded. They had spoken about this before. Rayen trusted Shade's wisdom, and often came to the Dark Dragoon for his analysis of the situation before making decisions. Oraeus, Shade, Phil, and Sean all left, and the others soon split up and went their separate ways. Rayen waited for a few moments before following the trail of one in particular.  
  
Kyra stood on a balcony overlooking the Ulara gardens. She stared down at the lush green landscape, with an occasional house dotted here and there. The Thunder Dragoon hadn't realized how good she had it until it was gone.  
  
A voice came from behind her. "Must be a blast from the past. Especially since your forest isn't even around anymore."  
  
She whipped around, and saw Rayen walk up from behind her. "What business is it of yours?"  
  
He shrugged. "It isn't, really."  
  
"Why did you follow me?"  
  
"What, am I not allowed to walk in this direction anymore?"  
  
Kyra's burgundy eyes narrowed. "You came here for a reason."  
  
"You're right. I did. I want to know why you're still here."  
  
"What kind of a question is that?"  
  
Rayen leaned against the wall. "I consider it a very legitimate one, considering the circumstances. Chang is dead, along with the Divine Dragon. What you came with us to achieve is finished already. But you haven't left."  
  
So that was it. He was questioning her motives. "You would rather continue your little war without me?"  
  
"You're twisting what I said. We're glad for your help, all of us. But like you said, you must have a reason."  
  
Kyra remained silent, her fists clenched and her head bowed. Rayen waited for a few moments. Then, seeing that no answer was forthcoming, he slowly walked to the green pad on the other end of the balcony. A flash of magic signaled his departure. Kyra looked at the teleporter for a moment then returned her gaze to the gardens below.  
  
Kyra didn't understand why Rayen was worried enough to confront her. She hadn't done anything to deserve suspicion... had she?  
  
************************************************************************  
  
A few minutes later, Rayen and Shade were engaged in a fierce sparring match. Rayen had flatly refused using his new Spirit, and Shade had agreed. It would have given him an unfair advantage. The Dark Dragoon ducked beneath Rayen's blade, then brought the hilt of his own weapon upwards, catching Rayen's sword in one of the forward-swept crosspieces. Before Shade could make use out of his advantage, however, Rayen pulled his sword free from Shade's deadly grasp, and the battle continued.  
  
Shade managed to speak over the clash of steel. "Did you ask her?"  
  
Rayen grunted as he parried a stroke from Shade's shorter blade. "Yeah."  
  
"And?"  
  
Rayen thrusted inwards. "Dead silence."  
  
Shade chuckled as he dodged the thrust. "I hate to say it, but I told you so."  
  
Phil grinned from his seat on the sidelines. "Did you feel a chill wind blow through the air?"  
  
Rayen ducked beneath a swipe from Shade's left blade. "Shut up, Phil."  
  
Shade thrusted inwards with his longer blade. "What did you expect? For Kyra to spill her guts?"  
  
"No. I don't know what I was expecting. I suppose you were right. But she's been acting very weird lately... like she has something to hide."  
  
Shade twisted his left blade back outwards, avoiding the stroke that would have sent it flying from his grip. "Who among us doesn't?"  
  
"True enough..."  
  
Rayen caught Shade's right sword beneath its crosspieces, and tore it from his hands, bringing his blade against the Dark Dragoon's throat. Shade did not seemed fazed, however, and swept Rayen's feet out from under him, holding the tip of his remaining sword against Rayen's chest. "Lesson One. In a real battle the enemy won't care if you have your sword at his throat. They'll drop you every time."  
  
"Yes, but they will care when I do this." Propping himself up on his hands, Rayen lashed out with his feet, catching Shade in the midsection. The Dark Dragoon's other weapon skittered from his grasp as he fell. The match was over.  
  
Now it was Oraeus's turn to chuckle. "It appears that you've taught the boy too much for his own good."  
  
Ignoring the half-Giganto, Shade retrieved his weapons and slid them into their sheaths.  
  
Phil used his spear to push himself to his feet. "So, now that your Spirit's finished, what do we do now? Wait for the horde?"  
  
Rayen nodded. "Yes. Then we address the populace."  
  
Phil halted. "What? What for?"  
  
"Simple. Remember what Samovar told us? 'The amount of Dragoons is only limited by the amount of Dragoon Spirits.' When you think of all the Dragons that must have died, there are probably hundreds of Dragoons out there too afraid to reveal themselves, and many more Spirits without owners. Our chances would be much better with five hundred Dragoons than with nine. But we have to convince them that the danger is real before they will take us seriously. Their army is too enormous for all of it to get through the portal at once. We defeat the first wave, then build our own army."  
  
Shade was skeptical. "Do you think they'll risk death for this?"  
  
Rayen shook his head. "What choice do they have? There won't be any peace treaties in this war."  
  
Author's Note: A Dragoon army... that would be interesting to see, to say the least. But can they manage it? Or will the people of Endiness be a little more reluctant to lay their prejudices aside? Mwahahaha, the plot thickens... 


	50. The Protector

Author's Note: Well, I appear to have either confused or angered a great deal of you with this last chapter, so some clarification is in order. Rayen doesn't know anything about Kyra for sure, he just thinks she's been acting weird lately, and let's face it, she has. She hardly spoke at all, and she's becoming brooding and secretive. Of course, this is probably due to grief over the loss of her homeland now that she's back in a Wingly city, and Rayen is probably just tense because he's worried, which would explain the bizarre dreams he's been having. But you never know...  
  
Samovar is the Grand Red-Eye Dragon, as I mentioned in a few other chapters. I must not have made that clear enough. Basically what Rayen said is that there are hundreds, maybe thousands of Dragoons out there, and all they needed to do was get them together and form an army. Obviously, that won't be as easy as it sounds.  
  
Don't burn the Rayen plushies! That's mean. I don't like being hated, I have self-esteem issues. But only when it's dark. O_o Don't ask. I'm weird.  
  
Chapter 50  
  
Dawn, Aquaria, and Nieva all stood on the tallest tower in Ulara, looking out at the portal, which was getting steadily larger by the day. The Silver Dragoon sighed, her weapon in hand, with the thrusting tip resting against the floor. "How long do you think we have left?"  
  
Niece's rapier was resting safely on the battlement, where it could be retrieved in a moment's notice. "Judging by the rate it has been growing, and how big Rayen said it would be when it opens, I would guess less than a day. Maybe only a few hours."  
  
Dawn stared out at the crackling anomaly in the sky. "So they're coming today."  
  
Nieva nodded. "Most likely."  
  
Aquaria piped up, her weapon leaning against the wall much farther away than the others, which showed that she was slightly less concerned about the approach of the dark horde than the others. "But Rayen said that the army was too big to fit through the portal all at once, right? So we won't be fighting that many. Plus, Rayen's got that new Spirit. Once we beat the crap out of the first wave, then we go gather the rest of the Dragoons. So there's nothing to worry about."  
  
Nieva was not so enthusiastic; being more experienced in the ways of war. "We don't know exactly how powerful this new Spirit is, or how quickly we can put together a decent resistance. It's basically us against the unknown. Considering how huge the unknown is, I'm not liking those odds."  
  
Aquaria looked slightly uncomfortable at that statement, but her high spirits were dimmed only momentarily. "But we've come through stuff we thought were impossible. How is this any different?"  
  
Dawn didn't have the heart to bring the young girl back to the ground, so she remained silent. Besides, maybe Aquaria was right. Rayen's Spirit may be stronger than they expected, and maybe the people of Endiness would be more willing to unite once they saw the true danger. But they had to beat the first wave to convince the populace that there was a chance of victory. Dawn wondered what they would throw at them first.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Back in the sparring room, another battle was raging. Phil and Oraeus, both in gleaming Dragoon armor, swiped and lunged at each other as they circled throughout the auditorium. Phil thrusted inwards, but the Golden Dragoon caught the wooden haft with his free hand and chopped downwards with his axe. Luckily, Phil rolled to his left, avoiding being cleaved in half. Yanking his weapon, he freed it from Oraeus's grasp, the blade making an eerie grating sound as it slipped through the metal gauntlets.  
  
Rayen, however, was focusing on different matters. There were so many things that could go very wrong. Why was Kyra becoming so moody all of a sudden? How much of the horde could get through in the first attack? But there was one question that worried him most of all; what was this cryptic warning the Creator had given him about his new Spirit. Rayen ran his fingers over the crystal, and the shifting rainbow came to the surface as usual. Nothing appeared to be wrong with it. But he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about that Spirit that the eye couldn't see. All of these questions desperately required answers, answers Rayen could not unearth, no matter how hard he searched.  
  
Just then, Phil shoved his spear between the Golden Dragoon's legs. Twisting the weapon, he tripped Oraeus, sending him flailing to the floor, his weapon sliding from recovery. The half-Giganto sputtered as he got to his feet. "That was hardly honorable."  
  
Phil grinned and shrugged his shoulders to show his indifference. "As long as it works."  
  
Shade's eyes were closed, but he was aware of the situation. "Honor is a dated concept. An admirable excuse to get yourself killed."  
  
"The Gigantos did not fear death."  
  
"Ironically enough, they're all dead now. Funny how that works. Although I sure that wherever they are, they're damned pleased with themselves."  
  
Oraeus clenched his fists at Shade's audacity, but he eventually relaxed, heaving a long sigh. "Perhaps you're right. But I wouldn't want to live in a world without honor anyway. To destroy honor is to destroy the last glimmering light of hope."  
  
Shade's eyes opened, but he remained silent out of respect. Phil grinned at Rayen. "Hey, why don't you show us what your new armor looks like?"  
  
Rayen's eyes opened wide, and he suddenly clutched the Spirit so hard the facets dug into his flesh. "NO! I... cannot."  
  
The Jade Dragoon glanced in concern at his friend, who rarely got this worked up over anything, especially something this minor. "You OK, man?"  
  
Rayen shook his head. "Yeah. Must be the stress getting to me."  
  
Shade's eyes were still closed. "Liar."  
  
Rayen let out a heavy sigh. "Caught me in the act. I was told never to use the Spirit unless I really need to."  
  
A bemused expression crossed Phil's face. "Why?"  
  
Rayen shrugged. "I didn't really understand what the Creator said. Something about frivolous usage of the Spirit would cause me to take its powers for granted." He suddenly sat bolt upright. "They're coming."  
  
Phil nearly dropped his weapon in surprise. "What? Now? How do you know?"  
  
Rayen raised an eyebrow at the Jade Dragoon.  
  
Phil shrugged. "OK, stupid question. All right then, let's get going."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Soon the Dragoons were soaring towards the portal at top speed. Rayen was still riding astride Balaeris, steadfastly refusing to activate his Spirit until the enemy showed itself.  
  
He didn't have long to wait.  
  
Just as they reached the Divine Tree, the dam holding back the black flood burst, and the dark legion spread forth. There were Dark Humans and Dark Winglies, but mostly just a gigantic horde of twisted animals, so mutilated that they looked more like monsters than animals. Thousands of demons soared through the portal, ready to wreak destruction on the helpless world of Endiness. Or so they thought.  
  
Rayen stood on the Dragon's back, and lifted the Spirit above his head. The crystal orb burst into radiance, and buried itself in Rayen's chest, and the transformation began. Flames spread throughout his body, turning into crimson plates. Wind swirled around his right arm, while his left was consumed in crackling lightning. Water surged and froze around his right leg, while rock hardened into the armor on his left leg. Then his wings formed one from inky darkness, the other from silvery tendrils of light. Finally, the crested headband was created from the energies of the Divine Dragoon, and the armor changed, so that the colors were always shifting, and no color was always in the same place.  
  
But the Spirit did not appear to be finished quite yet. His weapon left his hand, and as it hung suspended in the air, magic swirled around it, and it was transformed again. Rayen's eyes widened as he saw the result. The blade was at least four feet in length, and made of the finest steel Rayen had ever seen. The core of the blade was made of the same metal as his armor, like the armor it was constantly shifting color, and spidery golden runes Rayen couldn't decipher were inscribed on the core. The hilt was shining platinum, in the shape of two Dragon's intertwined. The twin necks and heads became the crosspieces, and each Dragon's eye was a fiery ruby. Its name flickered in and out of Rayen's mind. Birathion, the Protector.  
  
Rayen felt the presence of all the elements within him, so he focused on one and brought it to the front. The gray streak of his armor grew larger, swallowing the others, and suddenly Rayen was dressed in the armor of the Divine Dragoon. He lifted his arm, focusing his power into the barrel of the cannon. "Divine Dragon..."  
  
Phil raised an eyebrow. "That's it? Sean can do that..."  
  
"...Cannon!" A gigantic white-blue beam sliced through the air, annihilating all of the aerial troops in one stroke.  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"I would advise staying up here while I take care of the rest." Rayen dropped to the ground, preparing to meet the onrushing ground troops. There were no spells he could draw on from the past, for he was the first of his kind, and maybe the only of his kind that would ever be. Very well, then. He would just have to make his own. This time, two colors dominated the armor, burning red and shining silver. He lifted his new blade high into the air, and began an incantation.  
  
"With the searing light, scorch my foes beyond redemption. Disperse the shadows! Cleansing Flame!"  
  
He thrust Birathion into the ground, and a brilliant sunbeam struck the sword. The Protector absorbed the light, pulsing with its radiance. The ruby eyes of the twin Dragons focused the power, and it burst forth. Two blood-red beams shot from the rubies, starting at their outermost point and slowly fanning towards each other, slicing through the amassed troops as they went. When the two rays met in the middle, a deafening explosion rocked the area, and when the smoke cleared, not one foe remained on the battlefield.  
  
Rayen sighed as his armor faded. At least that was over with. Aquaria was dancing around, jumping in exultation and thrusting her hammer into the air. "Yeah! See I told you there would be no problem! Did you see the way he took those losers out?"  
  
Rayen slid his blade back into its sheath. "That was the easy part. That was only a tiny fraction of their true size, and they will start releasing them in greater numbers now that they know what they're up against. Besides, I used nearly all my magic up just casting those two spells."  
  
Aquaria's face fell, but Rayen smiled and continued. "But if we can assemble the rest of the Dragoons quickly enough, you can bet we can give them one hell of a fight. The Spirit's power, and my power, will grow as we move on. For now, we have given back Endiness its hope."  
  
Hope, Rayen thought as looked at the ominous portal in the sky, was probably the best gift they could give, and one that the world would need desperately in times to come.  
  
Author's Note: Well, that's the big Chapter 50. To think that when I started this fic I thought it would be done by now. How wrong I was. Don't worry, the ending is still a LONG way off.  
  
I have been waiting forever to finally give Rayen that armor so I can do... this! *steals Birathion* Mwahahahaha! *waves his new extremely cool sharp pointy sword* *runs off to cause random chaos and destruction* Oh yeah, review! 


	51. Eclipse

Author's Note: Good thing I have several copies of Birathion at my disposal just in case of this sort of thing. Rayen has the original, of course. I wouldn't steal the only weapon that can save Endiness. Well, I steal it, clone it, then give back to him, but that's different. 'Cause Rayen still has the real one. So yeah.  
  
Yeah, it's nice to see that so many people like my fic. Apparently it's more difficult to get reviews when your fic consists of OC's, but it appears that I've managed all right. Thanks to everyone. I'm thinking of writing a fic about telling the whole story from Dart's POV because I got so sick of people portraying him as a total moron. But I'm still not quite sure, and even if I did decide to do it I probably wouldn't start it for a while because, in case you haven't noticed, I'm really starting to enjoy writing this story. I probably won't start/update any others (except for maybe my humor fics when I get a burst of inspiration) until after this one is at least close to complete. But that won't be for a while, so just tell me what all of you think of that idea, or any others for that matter, and I'll have some time to think it over before I make a decision.  
  
Chapter 51  
  
"What? I will not!"  
  
Shade sighed. "Rayen, you have to."  
  
The Guardian Dragoon was obstinate. "Why me?"  
  
The Dark Dragoon tried to remain calm as he explained logically. "You're the leader of our little band, whether you like it or not. That makes you the figurehead, the symbol that the populace will rally behind. You have the power to lead Endiness to victory; you've shown them that already."  
  
Rayen mumbled and put his face in his hands. "Damn, I hate politics. I never asked to be leader of anything."  
  
Kyra cut in. "But you became one anyway. No one asks to be a leader for anything; the position is forced upon them. But you've done a damn good job of it regardless, and there's no reason you should stop now."  
  
Rayen glanced up at her, a puzzled expression briefly crossing his face. That was the first positive statement he had heard leave her mouth since he had returned from his brief abduction by the Creator. Was it possible that his suspicions were all in his mind? Rayen clutched his head and thought to himself. "Soa, I don't want to think about this right now..."  
  
Rayen attempted to dispel his headache and spoke again. "There are people out there that are still after my head, you know."  
  
Shade had expected this protest, and was ready with a quick counter. "Their attitude towards you won't change if you make a damn public hearing. Besides, what can they do to you anymore anyway? You're the most powerful person on the planet!"  
  
"If I'm up there without my armor, it won't be hard to take a shot at me."  
  
The Dark Dragoon folded his arms. "Who said you're making a speech without your armor?"  
  
"Shade, you know I can't do that. I was told not to use it unless I need to."  
  
This time it was Phil's turn to cut in with simple logic. "Who says you don't need it? If you're worried about someone taking a shot at you, then you need it, right? Besides, it'll look a lot more convincing if you're in armor and everything."  
  
Rayen glared at his friend. "So even you're against me on this one? Fine. Remind me to chuck your Dragoon Spirit into a lake again."  
  
"That was NOT funny. I was soaked by the time I got that back."  
  
Oraeus chuckled. "Actually, I found it rather amusing. You looked like a drowned rat."  
  
"Yeah? Well, look like a senile old codger, but I don't think water is doing that..."  
  
Rayen sighed and interrupted. "Fine. I'll do the damn speech. But I'm not going to like it."  
  
"Fair enough."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
There was a knock on the office door.  
  
Senior Executive Trega looked up in irritation, as always, before uttering his customary reply. "Enter."  
  
The assistant poked his head into the room. "It has been completed, sir."  
  
"Has it now? Well, I suppose I had better go and examine it. I hope the process went more smoothly than with the original."  
  
The assistant risked a snicker. "I doubt the original's process could have gone worse."  
  
To the attendant's great surprise, Trega did not appear annoyed by the comment. The man breathed a sigh of relief as his superior passed through the door.  
  
The corrupt executive remained silent on the way down the elevator to the ground floor, but the assistant appeared used to this. A tiny bell signaled their arrival at the lobby, at the chrome doors slid open. As he walked through the lobby, shiny black shoes clicking against the tiled floor, Trega ignored all attempts to waylay him as he headed for the door. Recent events had caused the BOA Corporation to suffer massive losses, and the press was always searching for juicy nuggets of gossip to report, even if they weren't truly expecting to receive them.  
  
Trega got into the car that was waiting outside, shutting the door in the face of a particularly audacious reporter. "Drive."  
  
Trega got a moment's cruel amusement as he watched his assistant chase after the car before he finally told the driver to stop. The assistant caught up with the limo, panting. The executive scowled as he opened the door. "Maybe that will teach you not to lag behind."  
  
The assistant muttered a hasty apology as he got in. The car started back up again, smoothly headed towards the outskirts of Lohan. Trega steepled his fingers and rested his chin upon them. "How did testing go?"  
  
"Testing exceeded all expectations, sir. Even yours."  
  
"Is that so? Maybe those fools have finally learned to do something right. As long as this one doesn't escape."  
  
"Indeed, sir."  
  
Eventually the car reached a squat inconspicuous building. "How ironic that this should take place in the same laboratory as well," Trega remarked, but he hardly seemed amused by the thought.  
  
Trega and his assistant were led through the maze of catwalks by a pair of uneasy scientists in anti-contamination suits until they finally arrived at their destination. The subject in question sat calmly in his cell, not even looking up at the new visitors that stared at him through the reinforced glass window. Trega examined this new creation. He had never seen the original in person, but he had been shown photographs, and knew the rest only by reputation. "He seems a lot more docile than his predecesor. A lot less ugly, too."  
  
One of the scientists spoke up. "He was made from the DNA before it was altered, sir. Docile probably isn't the correct word in this situation. Obedient would be more appropriate. We took the liberty of editing out some of the original's larger faults."  
  
"I assumed as much. Taking his DNA before beginning the process was probably the smartest thing you did in that project."  
  
"Thank you, sir."  
  
Trega got annoyed at that reply. "That wasn't a compliment. You and your underlings fouled up a great deal with the first project, but this is you chance to redeem yourselves."  
  
"Yes, sir. He's been genetically enhanced from the original, and we even managed to stumble upon a Dark Dragoon Spirit. It works for him, although I can't fathom why. He's artificial."  
  
"You're a scientist, not a philosopher. It's not your business to fathom about anything. Just thank your lucky stars and keep working. Is he complete?"  
  
"Yes, sir. He's ready to be deployed as soon as you give the order."  
  
"Good. I assume you've prepared a demonstration?"  
  
The head scientist pushed one of the countless buttons that were laid out on the gigantic control panel before him. "Of course."  
  
There was a loud buzzing noise, and half a dozen monsters were released into the cell. The pair of sceintists glanced at the executive anxiously, worried if he considered this sort of test a waste of what limited funds they had left, but Trega did not appear irritated. Two very familiar blades were drawn, and the monsters charged, half-starved and thirsty for blood. It was over in a few moments. Without even having to transform, a strange black-haired man dispatched the monsters with ease.  
  
"Excellent. Release him immediately. Coincidentally, what did you decide to name the project?"  
  
"We went with your suggestion. We thought it appropriate. Project Eclipse."  
  
"Very well, then. I trust that he will give Project Shade and the others substantial difficulty."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Rayen slid Birathion back into its sheath and let out a heavy sigh as his armor faded. The Guardian Dragoon suddenly realized he was sweating, and that he couldn't remember a single word he had just spoken. He hated crowds. The heat, the noise, and the thousands of eyes watching him constantly all got to him. He was just glad that it was finally over.  
  
He looked out on the crowd assembled in the main room of the Crystal Palace in Deningrad. It was a fairly small group, twenty thousand people at most, but news crews were crawling around the place like an insect infestation, so Rayen expected that by the end of the day the most remote Serdian would know of his words. There were no assasination attempts, and it did not appear like he had offended any racial groups, and the Guardian Dragoon supposed that was as much as he could hope for. In fact, a few minutes after he left the room, he found six people following him. As he turned around, they pulled out six gems. Two Silver, one Jade, one Sea, a Red-Eye, and a Violet.  
  
Another six Dragoons wouldn't win them the war. But it was a start.  
  
Author's Note: So, Rayen's going to have to adjust from being a guy who constantly ducks under the radar to the most famous person on Endiness. Let's see how he handles it. To make matters worse, now there's a genetically enhanced clone of Shade running around. WITH a Dragoon Spirit. You people didn't think I forgot about Trega, did you? 


	52. Black Portents

Author's Note: I don't really believe that it's the amount of reviews that proves whether or not your story is good. Obviously, there are a lot of people in this category that write better than I do, and the only reason that I have more reviews than they do is because I have so many chapters. 51 chapters averaging at about six reviewers per chapter gets you a lot, but just because my chapters are incredibly short doesn't mean my fic is more successful than anybody else's. But that's just my personal opinion.  
  
I'm not going to be able to go through the individual personalities of five hundred different Dragoons. Sorry. I'll make some of the more important ones major characters, but a lot of them will just have to duck under the radar.  
  
Rayen's weakness? Trust me, Rayen has a weakness. It's a big one, too. Remember the warning the Creator gave Rayen about his Spirit?  
  
The Divine Dragoon was the demon-possessed Chang. Chang was the man that built the machine that opened the portal that let the Dragons in. He was also Kyra's old boss. That's why she felt like she recognized him before the demon left his body. By the way, Rayen didn't kill him, Sean did. Rayen just gave him a nasty nick with the Dragon Buster so his Dragoon Spirit deactivated.  
  
Chapter 52  
  
That night, somewhere in the Serdian backcountry, a man heard a strange noise coming from somewhere outside. He lifted the blinds of his window to peek outside, and saw a strange black shape flitting through the tall grass. A grave expression passed over his face.  
  
His wife was watching. "What is it?"  
  
"I don't know. There's something outside."  
  
"At this time?"  
  
The man scooped up his rifle and headed for the door. "Yes. I had better go check it out."  
  
The woman got to her feet and followed. The door eased open silently, but the figure heard it, and its head snapped around to stare at the two people emerging from the cottage. It appeared to be human, but the night was too dark to tell for sure.  
  
The man shouted to the creature. "Hey! This here is private property! Please leave."  
  
The black shape remained silent.  
  
He tried again. "Look here, you need to get outta here, buddy. You can cut through the field if you need to, but you're trespassing on my land."  
  
There was no reaction from the mysterious trespasser, who almost appeared to be contemplating its options.  
  
The woman clutched her husband's arm. "I don't like this. What if it's one of those monsters that have been running around lately."  
  
The man attempted one last time to parlay with the enigma, this time slightly less polite. "Get off of my property or I'll shoot!"  
  
When the shadow did not respond for the third time, he leveled his rifle and fired a warning shot. Quick as a flash, the shadow disappeared into the foliage.  
  
The woman's grip on his arm relaxed. "Did you get it?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't even know what the hell that thing was. I'll go take a look."  
  
Plowing his way through the grass, he searched for the creature, his gun at the ready. His wife watched anxiously. Suddenly, his body disappeared beneath the grass. The woman let out a shrill shriek, but it was cut short as she too, fell dead.  
  
The shadowy enigma slunk through the field; a minor obstacle dealt with. By the time anyone found the bodies, it would be long gone. With the silvery moonlight as its only guide, it headed towards its secret destination. The beast was on the prowl.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Rayen left the Crystal Palace into the streets of Deningrad the following morning. Aside from the six that had joined after the speech, forty more Dragoons had arrived in Deningrad overnight to bolster the defending forces. Rayen knew that he should be pleased with the way things were going, but he still had the feeling that there was something very wrong going on. Whatever it was, Rayen knew that it wasn't on the other side of that portal. It was much, much closer to home. But he couldn't place it.  
  
"So, what now?"  
  
Rayen turned around and saw Phil approaching from behind. "I don't know. The new recruits are being sent out to collect dormant Spirits and find their owners. We need all the help we can get. In the meantime... I guess we stay here and wait for the next wave."  
  
"But what if they arrive before the others get back?"  
  
Rayen shrugged. "Then we'll have to do some actual fighting. The last wave was hardly a battle."  
  
"True. But you said you used all of your magic when you cast those spells. What happens if the next wave is larger?"  
  
"That's what Sun Rhapsodies are for. We're just lucky Dawn figured out how to make them."  
  
Phil sighed and gazed out towards the busy Deningrad streets. "Yeah..."  
  
Rayen stared down at the Spirit in his hand, pulsing with its usual rainbow of colors. There was nothing wrong with it, but he still felt the nagging doubt. All of the signs pointed to it. The Creator's warning, Melbu Frahma's knife, the dream, and now these strange premonitions; they all pointed to the circular prism that rested in his palm. What was lurking inside that unassuming crystal, evading his notice?  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Nieva knelt on one knee before the Queen of Millie Seaseu. Dragoon or not, her first duty was Sacred Sister, and she would take the opportunity to report to the Queen while she was still in Deningrad. "I have returned, my liege."  
  
The Queen frowned. As reassuring as it was to have the Second Sacred Sister back in the capital, her knight simply did not understand that she had more pressing tasks to take care of. However, she should humor Nieva, at least for the time being. "Very well. How goes the recruitment?"  
  
"Forty-nine Dragoons have pledged their skills to our cause, Your Majesty."  
  
It was now or never, the Queen decided. She had to set Nieva's mind on the more important situation at hand. "Nieva, I feel that you have not been paying enough attention to your new responsibilities as a Dragoon because you have been worrying too much about Millie Seaseu. Therefore, I am afraid I must relieve of your duties as Sacred Sister for the time being."  
  
Nieva's eyes widened. Surely she wouldn't! "But Your Majesty! I can focus my energies on the war if you so desire."  
  
"I do wish it, Nieva. Protecting Endiness is more important than simply protecting Millie Seaseu. If Serdio and Tiberoa fall, we shall not be far behind. Do not worry. Deningrad will still be standing when you return."  
  
Nieva got to her feet and bowed. But as she left, she could not help but mutter bitterly to herself. "I would not be so sure of that if I were you."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Shade sighed as he sat in one of the larger rooms of the Crystal Palace. A total of forty-nine Dragoons had joined since yesterday. Eight Red-Eyes, eight Jades, seven Darks, six Silvers, six Violets, eight Seas, and six Goldens rounded out the new recruits. There would probably even more arriving in Deningrad today. Shade hoped this was all going to be as easy as it had been, but he had a feeling that their problems would grow with the army.  
  
A large man approached the attendant in charge of registering new soldiers. The attendant glanced upwards. "Please state your name and element for the record."  
  
"I am not here to join your band. I wish to visit one of the Dragoons."  
  
"The Dragoons are all out on assignment."  
  
"Are the original Dragoons here?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Then he's not out on assignment. Please direct me."  
  
The assistant, taken aback by the visitor's brashness, gestured vaguely to where the Dragoons were assembled. All of them stared at the newcomer, not sure what to make of him. Oraeus knew instantly that this man was half- Giganto, it was apparent in his features. The arrival's face was scarred; the left side of his face bore a savage burn mark. Oraeus had a feeling he knew why this man was here. "Who are you?"  
  
The visitor's face was grim. "Surely fifteen years hasn't changed me enough that you don't recognize me?"  
  
Oraeus studied the man carefully. He couldn't have been older than his late twenties. He must have been a child during the incident. Surely it wasn't possible someone had survived? He had given up hope long ago someone had made it away from the hellhole that had once been his home. Could it be?  
  
Oraeus's voice was weak as he stammered out the name of someone that he thought he had left behind fifteen years ago. "Ar... Artaeris?"  
  
The man named Artaeris bowed his head. "It's been a long time... Father."  
  
Author's Note: I was surprised Aerena noticed that I didn't mention that Oraeus found his son's body, and that was because his son isn't dead! Mwahahaha... plot twist-y-ness. I know this chapter was short, but I'm prepping the story for a very important event that will be coming up within the next few chapters. 


	53. Scars

Author's Note: Yes, Oraeus's son is alive. I know everyone expected that, but it's important to the story later, so sue me. Rayen's still got the Dragon Buster, but since there's no Dragons to kill, he hasn't really had a use for it. But it's still around. One could call the Dragoons superpeople, but of course they eat and sleep. I talk about Rayen sleeping all the time, because he has all of those bizarre dreams. I mention the characters eating every once in a while, but it doesn't make for very interesting reading, so I usually spare you people the boredom. You probably get enough of it as it is.  
  
By the way, a Merry Christams to everyone! Mwahaha... presents. I got Metroid Prime, my own copy of Madden NFL 2003 (YAY! I was so sad when I had to return it to Blockbuster), Metroid Fusion, the Zelda game for GBA, about 7 books, a bunch of CDs, and 150 bucks! Lots of candy too... heh... sugar...  
  
Chapter 53  
  
The shadowy creature slunk slowly, maliciously through the poisoned forest that was no longer poisoned. The Green Tusked Dragon's foul enchantment had lifted over the centuries, but its legacy still remained in some of the twisted and malevolent life that inhabited the forest. No logging company would dare attempt to harvest these trees. The danger was too great.  
  
But the mutilated beasts shrunk away from this mysterious new arrival with the ordinary animals of the forest. This thing held mastery over them, and seeking to dominate it would only lead to their own destruction. Thus they shrank away in fear, cowering as it passed. The shadow leapt into the trees, jumping from branch to branch with ease and grace, the sickly sweet scent of pine needles clinging to its body. Birds scattered when it landed among them, taking to the air in favor of spending a moment in its presence.  
  
The enigma continued on its route, ignoring the forest's reaction to it. It would not be much longer. Its prey sat vulnerable, like the fool that he was. A few more days and he would be safely within its grasp. The creature sped up in murderous anticipation, eager to draw blood.  
  
Soon its task would be completed. The hunt was on.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Oraeus was still thunderstruck. There was no doubting this man was his son, but how was it possible? The hope that someone had made it out of that inferno alive seemed an unobtainable dream. But there he stood. "Artaeris... I thought you were dead."  
  
"You didn't bother to check, did you?"  
  
A perplexed expression flitted across the Golden Dragoon's face. "What are you talking about?"  
  
This statement angered Artaeris further. "You left me for dead."  
  
Oraeus felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. Surely Artaeris didn't think he had abandoned him! "I searched the village, but I was attacked. By the time I finished dealing with them, I thought it was too far gone for looking further to be of any use."  
  
His son folded his arms obstinately. "But that doesn't change the fact that you left me behind."  
  
Oraeus felt anger bubble up from within him, but he forced it down, remaining calm. "Yes, I did. But I checked the surrounding area countless times afterwards. What happened to you?"  
  
Artaeris sighed, and he began speaking almost absently, as if the purpose for which he came seemed unimportant upon reflection.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
The new building was almost finished when they arrived. Artaeris's parents made no secret that there was an outside world, far more advanced than the way they lived. But they had taught him that greed and personal interest drove the human society. Nevertheless, Artaeris often found himself wondering about the world beyond their secluded haven, and was fascinated by the stories his father weaved occasionally, when Artaeris's pestering was too much for him to bear. But he never actually thought about seeing the real thing.  
  
Thus, when he saw the strange metal contraption approaching, he was incredibly surprised. It was unmistakably human in origin, but it was hardly what Artaeris had pictured. It seemed so... awkward. But it moved much faster than a man, or even a horse, so Artaeris supposed that it appealed to the humans. A door slid open, and a group of humans spewed forth, laughing and jeering. So that was what a true human looked like. They seemed so small, so weak. Artaeris was probably as tall as most of the full-grown ones, and a great deal heavier than they were as well. Many of them were waving around empty bottles, and some held strange metal rods.  
  
Many of the adults that were working on the construction halted their work and looked at the humans apprehensively. One of them motioned Artaeris back towards his home, which was located nearby and Artaeris complied. He still watched the scene, however, and peeked through the window as the humans approached. His mother urged him to stay inside before departing to join the others. One of the elders stepped to the front to attempt to parlay with the humans.  
  
One of the humans and the elder spoke for a few moments, anger apparent on their faces. Eventually the human raised one of those odd metal rods, and a small burst of fire popped from the end and the elder fell over dead. Artaeris gasped. Those rods must be the weapons called 'guns' his father had told him about. Oraeus had described them as a sort of crossbow that fired 'bullets', tiny metal arrows that traveled incredibly fast and could kill from even farther away than a crossbow. He had thought about them often, but this was hardly what he had pictured.  
  
Many of the other humans followed the first, and soon most of the adults lay dead. Then the humans produced cans of liquid, which they poured on some of the houses. Tossing flaming sticks onto the alien fluid, they set the homes ablaze. The remaining villagers fled in all directions. This appeared to spurn the antagonists on, and many gave chase.  
  
Artaeris watched in horror as his mother ran past, with one of the humans hot on her tail. He hurled the can of liquid, the leftover contents splashing onto her body. As she passed by one of the burning homes, a spark ignited her clothing. The half-Giganto boy stared in complete disbelief as his mother was consumed in flame. When the fire finally died, she was charred nearly beyond recognition.  
  
Their house caught fire soon afterwards, and Artaeris watched the flame climb up their wooden walls. He huddled in the middle of the house, still staring out the window. His father was still out there; he would come and rescue him. Sure enough, soon his father charged onto the scene. He picked up his wife's body, but then one of the humans saw him, and stomped onto his weapon.  
  
Just then, a piece of the burning ceiling fell, and as Artaeris looked upwards in terror, it fell onto his face, searing the left side of his face. He tore it from his cheek onto the floor. He wanted to scream, but it came as sort of a bestial roar, one that blended with his father's as Oraeus began to slaughter the humans in his fury.  
  
Soon the humans lie dead among the others, and his father picked up his weapons. Artaeris waited for his father to free him from the burning house, but Oraeus merely picked up his weapons and started trudging back towards in the other direction. Artaeris watched him leave in disbelief. More fragments of the ceiling began to fall, and Artaeris could no longer wait for his father to save him. Grabbing his own axe, he swung hard at the blazing wall. The charred wood gave way easily and he tumbled out into the destroyed village. He sprinted towards the only safe place he could think of, the forest.  
  
Artaeris stayed in the forest for several more days, patiently waiting for his father to return. But he never came. After a week, Artaeris could do no better than assume more humans had caught up with his father. He had nothing left, then. He would have to make his own way from now on.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Phil looked confused. "So, wait. You came all the way to Deningrad just to tell your father how much you hate him?"  
  
Artaeris glowered at him, and the Jade Dragoon shrugged. "OK, I'm shutting up."  
  
"Now that I've heard his side of the story, I've realized that in part the fault was mine. Besides, no matter what he has done, he's still my father. I came to request if I could accompany him in the army."  
  
Rayen sighed. "We can't allow you to fight, at least not unless you gain a Dragoon Spirit of your own. But you can come with the army. I'm sure we'll find a use for you apart from the action. If you were so drawn here, maybe your destiny has a surprise in store for you."  
  
Author's Note: Sorry that took so long, the holidays and writer's block kind of slowed me down. Next chapter is the incredibly important plot twist that will effect the rest of the story as we know it. Mwahahaha... I leave you in suspense. 


	54. Fears Confirmed

Author's Note: Curses... I had not thought of that. Bah, my parents have a serious case of paranoia, which is why my email isn't posted on the profile... do you have a website you could post it on or send it to so I could download it onto my personal files?  
  
Yes, I did enjoy writing Phil's line in that chapter. It amused me in some twisted sense. Oraeus's son is Artaeris.  
  
DDX, your parents keep parental controls on your internet access, but they get you Grand Theft Auto for Christmas? O_o That seems a little inconsistant to me, but whatever.  
  
Chapter 54  
  
One person was not present during Artaeris's tale. Nieva stood on the top of the citadel of the Crystal Palace, maintaining a constant lookout on the portal as assigned. It was mostly a precaution, as they all knew the next wave would not be arriving for several more days. Therefore, although the Sacred Sister's watch was constant and dutiful, it was not incredibly attentive.  
  
There had been another forty-three arrivals that day, and the new recruits were recovering many more Spirits. The next step was to find the owners of the abandoned Spirits, which would take more time, but was necessary to achieve the maximum amount of Dragoons possible. The populace was responding to the war a great deal better than Nieva had expected. Perhaps the people of Endiness actually believed there was a chance of victory. Nieva supposed she should follow their lead, because if the people of Endiness lost hope, the darkness would overwhelm them.  
  
The Red-Eye Dragoon heard a distant rumble, and out of pure instinct she glanced to the portal. The Sacred Sister's eyes widened. It was impossible. To amass a force to replace the one they had lost would have taken much longer than this. But there was undoubtedly something coming out of that portal.  
  
Nieva wasted no more time pondering this turn of events. The Fire Dragon Knight took off to warn the others of imminent assault. The Sacred Sister ran down the battlement, her mailed boots clinking against the crystal. She burst through the door; her breath coming in short gasps due to anxiousness and the laborious task of running through a castle in full armor. "They're coming!"  
  
Before any of the others could so much as make an exclamation of surprise, Rayen was on his feet and sprinting towards the entryway. "Lead on."  
  
The others still seemed bewildered, but they followed. They reached the citadel looking out on the snowy plain below, and the dark gateway looming in the clouded sky above. Sure enough, a portion of the horde was emerging. But something was not quite right.  
  
Phil peered at the attack force. "Is it just me, or is that group really, really small?"  
  
The Jade Dragoon was correct. The legion that appeared could not exceed more than a few thousand in number, enough for Rayen to dispatch easily in one spell. Nieva turned to Rayen. "What do you think? Decoy?"  
  
The Guardian Dragoon nodded. "I would guess so."  
  
Oraeus folded his arms. "If it's a decoy, it's a poorly executed one. A child would pick up on that strategy. I believe it is some sort of trick. Possibly they wish to have a small group wreak as much havoc as possible to demoralize the populace before we pick up on the fact that there is no larger group arriving."  
  
"That might be what they expect us to think," Kyra pointed out.  
  
Rayen examined his Spirit. The light of the sun pierced through the oppressive blanket of clouds. Rayen lifted the crystal to the sunbeam, and the light struck the Spirit, and a dazzling rainbow sprouted from the stone. Odd, Rayen had never seen it do that before. He wondered what if it was trying to tell him something.  
  
Shade's voice jerked Rayen from his reverie. "The best solution would probably be to split into two small groups. One would go after that group, while the others stay behind and wait for a surprise attack. The question is how we assemble the two parties. Obviously Rayen will be in the force that stays behind..."  
  
Rayen interrupted. "No. Kyra and I will go two others after that group. That way if there is no second group we'll have my firepower, but if this really is a decoy that Kyra will be able to take us to the larger force as soon as it arrives."  
  
Shade nodded. "Yes, that makes sense. Aquaria and I will accompany you two. The others will stay behind, just in case."  
  
Kyra made a gesture, and in a flash of Wingly magic they were whisked away. They hovered above the advancing troops below, only to discover something very surprising, About two hundred humans stood against the onrushing darkness, guns blazing, Shade narrowed his eyes. "They appear to be fighting back."  
  
Kyra gazed down in something half between admiration and disdain. "Are they insane? They can't hope to beat all of them on their own."  
  
"Maybe they're trying to stall until we get here," Aquaria piped up.  
  
As if on cue, several of the human soldiers glanced up at the Dragoons and pointed. Instead of rejoicing, however, about half of the resistance turned their weapons on the Dragon Knights, and a hail of bullets came rushing up at the group of warriors.  
  
Rayen veered to his right, marveling that Kyra's magic could allow them to move in the air and still remain aloft. "What the hell do they think we're doing? We're here to help!"  
  
Shade did not appear nearly as surprised as the others did; it almost seemed like he was waiting for something to go wrong. "It appears that they either don't want our help, or they don't trust us. Considering the amount they've already lost, I'd say it would be the latter."  
  
Rayen felt anger surge through him, and he whipped out his crystal Spirit, which glinted eagerly, although he couldn't help but think there was something odd about that gleam. But it was probably just a trick of the light. Besides, it was too late to stop the transformation anyway. The rush of magic burst forth from the crystal, consuming him.  
  
Then unimaginable pain overtook him. He felt as though his blood were being set aflame. He glanced downwards, seeing the ground rushing upwards to beat him senseless. But the Dragoon Spirit appeared to have other plans for him. He felt the wings sprout from his back, catching the pockets of air, keeping him airborne. But how was that possible? The Spirit wasn't working... was it?  
  
His feet touched the snowy earth below, and he examined himself. He was reminded strongly of the armor of the Guardian Dragoon, but something was perversely different. The colors of the armor both shifted constantly, but while the Guardian Dragoon's armor contained the colors of all the elements, this new armor contained none of those colors. Black reigned supreme over this armor, from the lightest gray of a shadow in a summer's midday, to the deepest black of the oblivion, and every shade in between. Rayen had become the Dragon Knight of the Apocalypse.  
  
The blade that formed in his fist was not Birathion the Protector. The core of the blade was just like the armor, a shifting maelstrom of black. The spidery runes were different from the ones inscribed on Birathion, and they were also written in silver, not gold. The hilt remained the same, but its image was profoundly different. The twin dragons of the Protector's hilt appeared to be embracing, rejoicing in their union, while these dragons looked as if they were strangling each other, locked in a contest of strength that was ultimately killing them both. The ruby eyes glinted with unlimited malevolence. The sword he now held in his hand was Azmerak, the Destroyer.  
  
Rayen relished in the power that flowed through him. "I'll tear them apart."  
  
"No!" There was a pulsing flash of blue, and Aquaria stood before him, arms spread wide. "You'll kill all of them with a spell now!"  
  
Rayen's cold eyes narrowed. "Get out of my way."  
  
The Sea Dragoon shook her ponytailed head defiantly. "You'll kill the humans too!"  
  
Rayen sneered. "Death shows no mercy. Why should I? Pity does not stay my blade. They will receive no better than they deserve. Now, I won't ask again. Move aside."  
  
Aquaria still did not move. Rayen drew his free left hand back and lashed out, sending the Sea Dragoon sprawling. Shade and Kyra stared, thunderstruck. Rayen had never acted this violent; hitting another Dragoon was so unlike him that even Shade was taken off guard. Aquaria felt the mark of Rayen's fist burned into the flesh of her face.  
  
Rayen paid no more attention to Aquaria, however, and he raised Azmerak into the air, spinning it between his fingers. As the hilt danced through his knuckles, he began a spell. "Black winds, blowing forth from the pit of oblivion, smite my foes! Dark Cyclone!"  
  
An evil wind swirled through the air, gathering speed until it rushed down on the struggling soldiers below. The black legion was swept up into the air, disintegrated, but the fate of the few remaining humans was far worse. Their flesh, muscles, and organs were torn from their bodies, leaving nothing behind but heaps of bloodstained bones. The malicious gale carried its carnage back into the sky and disappeared.  
  
As the armor faded, reason flooded back into Rayen's mind. He stared at the devastation he had caused, then gazed at Aquaria, with the burnt imprint of his hand scarred into her face. "By Soa and the Divine Creator... what have I done?"  
  
************************************************************************  
  
A few moments later, the Dragoons and Artaeris stood back in the Crystal Palace. They had managed to explain it away as some sort of freak accident, but lying to the public was making matters even worse for Rayen. The thought of killing innocent humans appeared to be causing him intense pain. Aquaria's wound was healed instantly by Dawn's magic, but the tension between the two lingered, poisoning the air. Rayen couldn't bring himself to look at her.  
  
Phil attempted to maintain an optimistic outlook. "Most of the humans were dead by the time you cast that spell anyway. You probably only killed a couple dozen at most."  
  
Rayen's reply was bitter, sarcastic, and acidic, all at once. "Oh yes, let's thank the Creator I wasn't a few minutes earlier so I could have killed more people! I'm going to bed. Wake me when the end of the world decides to get a move on."  
  
Shade watched the despairing Rayen pensively. He knew things were going far too smoothly before this had happened. Irony had a way of punishing those who became so too confident in their good luck. It had been the first time the unexpected had thrown a wrench in their plans. It wouldn't be the last.  
  
Author's Note: I realize that took me much longer than it usually does, but that's because we got a new computer two days ago, and we've been spending a lot of time figuring it out and transferring files from the old one to the new one. But now I get the old one in my room so I can type chapters without having to get off for other people! Yay!  
  
OK, I realize the whole Apocalypse Dragoon thing is extremely cliché, but the only other name I could think of was Death, and that's even worse, so just bear with me. Anyway, next chapter Rayen has a visitor who explains the whole Apocalypse Dragoon thing. In the meantime, please review!  
  
By the way, for some reason I like the whole 'Pity does not stay my blade' line. It's all evil and stuff. *drools over the evil pointy sword* *makes severl hundred copies of Azmerak and hides them* Mwahahahaha... 


	55. Keeper of the Balance

Author's Note: It appears that my last chapter has confused some people (what else is new?), so I'll have to clarify. Yes, there is a second Dragoon lurking in that Spirit. In previous chapters, you'll notice that I never actually described the crystal as the Guardian Dragoon Spirit, and that's because the Guardian Dragoon isn't the only one it can summon. No, Rayen is not evil, or at least not yet (stress and guilt may drive him over the edge, you never know). As Shike put it, he just went berserk. But don't worry, all of that will be explained in this chapter.  
  
If I've said this once, I've said it a hundred times, but I'm going to say it again. I don't know how the romance thing is going to turn out. I will get to the romance deal when and/or if it's important to the story. That may not be for a while yet. I'm sorry if I seem snappish, but I'm getting really sick of being asked that constantly.  
  
No, Rayen is not the Murderer. The Murderer is the evil part of Soa, the opposing force of the Creator. Again, all of that stuff will be explained in this chapter.  
  
Chapter 55  
  
Ironically, Rayen slept peacefully that night, for once. He awoke early; however, to find a visitor had arrived. A woman stood looking out the window of his temporary lodgings in the Crystal Palace at the snowy streets of Deningrad below. Rayen felt that if she were not standing directly in the dawn's soft light, she would have been cloaked in shadow, not because she necessarily enjoyed their company, merely because they were instinctively drawn to her. A mane of raven hair traveled down her back, halting at about her knee level. She was dressed in deep violet armor embossed with gold, and a rapier hung comfortably from her belt.  
  
How ironic that she dresses in violet, Rayen thought as he recognized her nearly instantly, for the flower for which she is named could be little less like a violet. Rose.  
  
Her voice was wistful, and rang hollowly as if it came from far away. "How much Deningrad has changed since my companions and I were defending it."  
  
Despite the enormous amount of respect he held towards the Dragoons of the past, Rayen could not resist a wisecrack. "Do you visit living people in their bedrooms often?"  
  
Rose shot him a dark glare, and he shrugged. "So why are you really here?"  
  
"You released a dark power yesterday, did you not?"  
  
Rayen grimaced. "I would have preferred to forget about it. What exactly was that?"  
  
Rose heaved a sigh that sounded like a soft gust of wind. "Well... we'll start at the beginning. After the creation of Endiness, a horrible war broke out between all the species as they jockeyed for supremacy. Both entities of Soa attempted to bend this war to their own agendas. But the result worked in neither side's favor. The Winglies seized control over the other species and ruled until the First Dragon Campaign. However, during the struggle, the Creator made one last resort in case all else failed. That thing was the Dragoon Spirit you now hold.  
  
However, the Murderer was aware of its creation. Using dark energies, the Murderer corrupted the Spirit, and the Apocalypse Dragoon was the result. Because during its creation both gods slipped a little of themselves into the Spirit, it was imbued with incredible power, power far exceeding the other Dragoons. This worked out well for the Murderer, because the Apocalypse Dragoon was the ultimate tool of destruction. If all of the other plots for the world to be destroyed failed, then the Apocalypse Dragoon would rise and annihilate Endiness, and creation would start again.  
  
Once the Creator learned of the Murderer's deeds, revisions were made to the Spirit to make it less dangerous. First, the Creator kept the Spirit in the ethereal realm, and it would only be able to return to the earthly plane of existence if it was brought there by a mortal who knew how to bring it to Endiness, as you did. Second, the Creator put a seal on the Spirit by creating the knife, which would only break the seal if in the presence of both the Spirit and one who would bear the completed Spirit.  
  
Now, because the Spirit would no longer be a driving force for good, the Creator put in a special method for the bearer's selection. The bearer of the Spirit may not actually come in contact with the Spirit during his or her lifetime, for knowledge of the Spirit's existence is only given out when the Spirit is needed, when all else has failed. The bearer is chosen upon their birth, and when the bearer dies, a new one is chosen. The bearer of the Spirit is the person who has the greatest capacity for both protection and destruction. Therefore, the bearer of the Spirit is the ultimate keeper of the balance of nature."  
  
Rose seemed to be finished, so Rayen spoke. "How do you know all this?"  
  
"Because had all else failed in the quest to defeat the Moon Crisis, I would have received the Spirit as well. I was the being that was held the greatest capacity for both good and evil for the eleven millennia of my lifetime. Of course, I did not learn this until after my death. Although my methods of dealing with problems were slightly less... diplomatic that most, my intentions were always good, if a little misguided, so I was chosen to be the bearer of the Spirit should need arise. But it never did. Melbu Frahma was defeated without the help of the Guardian Dragoon. Now is the first time the Creator has considered the danger great enough for the Spirit to be returned to Endiness. You are the first true bearer of the Spirit."  
  
Rayen rested his chin on his folded hands. "So I have the greatest capacity for both good and evil?"  
  
"Yes. Although you remain good by nature, your dark emotions are quick to rise and seize control. You see, the Spirit you hold works like a prism; it reflects your soul. It takes your emotions and gives them form. When you use it for the protection of the Endiness, the armor of the Guardian Dragoon clothes you. But when you use the Spirit out of anger, fear, hatred, or any of the hopeless feelings the Murderer cursed us with upon creation, the Apocalypse Dragoon takes hold."  
  
Understanding dawned on Rayen's face. "Of course... 'Frivolous usage of the Spirit will cause you to underestimate its powers'... the Creator's warning! It makes sense. The way the Spirit reflected the light when I stood on the Crystal Palace... it was warning me that all it did was reflect me..."  
  
"Yes. But you were deaf to their advice." She wasn't scolding him. It was merely a statement.  
  
Rayen buried his face in his hands in exasperation. "I've been a fool."  
  
The Black Monster's ghost shook her head vehemently. "No. You were meant to see all this."  
  
Rayen looked up at her, puzzled. "What?"  
  
"If the Creator wanted you to avoid releasing the Apocalypse Dragoon, you would have been told outright. The Creator wanted you to get a glimpse of the danger, while the Murderer wanted you to see just enough of the destruction you can cause to haunt you... or tempt you."  
  
"Which is why such a small group was sent out on its own."  
  
"Yes." Rose's face grew grim. "Have you ever felt so angry, so afraid, or so sad that you would rather just destroy all that has wronged you?"  
  
A dark look came to Rayen's azure gaze. Yes, he had experienced that, more times than most would guess.  
  
Rose continued. "Everyone does, some more than others. But of course, that is impossible. Except for you. You really can do all of that, and that's exactly the sort of knowledge the Murderer wants you to have. That's why such a small faction was sent out yesterday."  
  
"Of course. First and foremost, I am their puppet."  
  
Rose waved a hand. "We all are, there's no escaping that. But you are the one who their plans rest most heavily on. The scales of nature are tipping towards destruction, you were given the Spirit to correct the balance, or, if you should fail, bring about the world's annihilation."  
  
Rayen sighed. "But there's one thing I don't understand. Why was the knife given to Melbu Frahma?"  
  
"It wasn't. It merely fell into his hands by winds of chance. An intriguing coincidence, nothing more." The shadowy form of Rose began to fade. "My time upon this plane is nearly over. I was given a temporary reprieve from death to come and bestow you with this knowledge, and now that my task is completed, I must return. Farewell, and heed the lessons you have been given. Or you will once again be forced to learn the hard way."  
  
A chill wind blew through the room, although the windows were not open, and when Rayen blinked, the apparition of Rose was gone.  
  
Author's Note: OK, I realize that this chapter was both short and boring, but it was basically Rose just explaining everything. So Rayen isn't the Murderer, but there's a little bit of both gods hidden inside his Spirit. Which Dragoon he activates depends on when and why he uses the Spirit. Okey dokey? Good. If you've got any questions about the story so far, don't hesitate to drop them into your review. 


	56. Drawing Nearer

Author's Note: Sort of, Freefall. What the Spirit does is amplify his emotions when he uses it. It basically takes them, magnifies them and makes them into amazingly powerful Dragoon armor. If he's afraid, angry, or anything like that, he becomes the Apocalypse Dragoon. Otherwise, he becomes the Guardian Dragoon. Does that make sense?  
  
Yes, I brought back Rose. When I was thinking about the whole greatest- capacity-for-both-good-and-evil thimg, I suddenly thought 'Hey, that sounds like Rose', so I decided to work that into the story. So I gave her a temporary Get-Out-Of-Death-Free Card so she could go knock some sense into Rayen. Whether it works or not is something we'll just have to wait and find out.  
  
Chapter 56  
  
Rayen finished relating his story and looked at his audience. Phil was skeptical, Sean nonplussed, and Shade impassive, as usual. The others were off on their individual tasks of one sort or another.  
  
Phil's remark was dripping with sarcasm. "Well then, what did the ghost Dragoon tell you?"  
  
The disbelief was doing nothing to bolster Rayen's mood, so his response was snappish and irritable. "Well, if you'd like the brief summary, she said there was a piece of both gods in my rock and that I need anger management."  
  
"Hell, I could have told you that."  
  
Rayen's fist clenched, and he drew in a breath, but eventually he released it in a deep shuddering sigh. It was impossible to stay mad around the Jade Dragoon. Exasperated, maybe, but not angry. "What am I going to do with you?"  
  
Shade sat near the pair with his hands folded behind his head. "Have you considered taking his Dragoon Spirit, packing him in a large box, and airmailing him off to the Death Frontier?"  
  
Rayen smiled, but shook his head. "Nah, that wouldn't work. He'd never get past airport security. His face is a lethal weapon."  
  
Phil feigned injury. "That was cold."  
  
"I know. I quite enjoyed it."  
  
The phone at the registration desk rang. The attendant picked it up, belting out her usual response. Then, a perplexed look crossed her face and she muttered something the four Dragoons couldn't catch. She glanced at Rayen. "It's for you."  
  
Rayen got up; Sean and Phil following suit. Shade left to deal with his assignment.  
  
The Divine Dragoon sighed. "What do you think it is this time?"  
  
Phil smirked. "Probably someone asking for a cell phone number."  
  
Rayen tossed an acidic glance back at the Jade Dragoon. "Is that all you think about?"  
  
Phil shrugged. "I get hungry every once in a while."  
  
"What about the whole saving the world deal?"  
  
"That's your job."  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
The assistant handed Rayen the receiver. "Hello?"  
  
A cold male voice Rayen didn't recognize buzzed through the earpiece. "Are you the boy, the one in charge?"  
  
"You could put it that way. Who is this?"  
  
"That's not important right now."  
  
Uh-oh, Rayen thought, that's never a good sign. There's a man I don't know on the other end, and he won't tell me his name. Probably threats of some sort coming up next.  
  
"Is Project Shade around?"  
  
Rayen's suspicions mounted, especially with the use of the title 'Project'. "No, he left to train some of the new recruits."  
  
"Really? Ah well, then I guess we won't be able to talk to him."  
  
"If you want Shade, I can go and get..."  
  
"No, that's not necessary. It's you we wanted to speak to."  
  
Rayen glanced at his two friends, who were staring at him in something between anticipation and anxiousness. "Well then, what do you want?"  
  
"Are you aware of what is wandering through Tiberoa at this very moment?"  
  
"I'm sure there are a lot of things wandering through Tiberoa, but you sound like you mean something specific. Is it dangerous?"  
  
"No. Well, yes, but only to one person. It's a clone of Project Shade. We call it Eclipse."  
  
Rayen almost dropped the receiver. "Excuse me?"  
  
The man's response was calm. "You heard me. We took some unaltered DNA when he was first brought here, and we managed to send it off to the main database before the unfortunate incident at the lab."  
  
"So you're with the people who've been producing the monsters. Can you hold on a minute while I relay the psychobabble you've been spouting to my friends?"  
  
The man did not sound angered by Rayen's less than tactful reply, nor did he protest against Rayen sharing the information he had just been given. In fact, he waited patiently while Rayen placed the receiver down and turned to Phil and Sean, who were waiting eagerly. "Well, first off, it's not some girl who wants your cell phone number, Phil."  
  
"Damn."  
  
"Sorry. On the other hand, it is a guy who claims that there's a clone of Shade running around Tiberoa somewhere."  
  
Phil raised an eyebrow at this, while Sean looked grim.  
  
Rayen lifted the receiver to his ear once more. "OK, but there's one thing that strikes me as either incredibly arrogant or incredibly stupid. Why would you want to release an assassin on our trail then call us on the telephone and let us know that he's coming? Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?"  
  
"I said it was only dangerous to one person. It was originally meant to kill all of you, but after this war surfaced, we figured it would be more beneficial to us if you took care of them first."  
  
Rayen's reply was dry and sarcastic. "How generous of you. But why kill just Shade?"  
  
"Simple. Eclipse is coming to replace Project Shade. He was a failed experiment. Eclipse is how we wanted Shade to turn out. Now that we've perfected our testing techniques, we figured we'd give it another try."  
  
"So you feel like you screwed up too much with the original, so you send a clone up here to kill him and take his place?"  
  
"More or less."  
  
"What if we try to prevent him from killing the real Shade?"  
  
"Eclipse outperforms Project Shade in every possible area. It would be far more beneficial to your cause to have him in your army."  
  
"You're nuts."  
  
"Consider it our donation to the war effort."  
  
Rayen stared at the earpiece in disbelief. "My god, you ARE nuts!"  
  
"Believe what you will. Eclipse should arrive in Deningrad in a week or so."  
  
The mysterious caller hung up. Rayen stared at the receiver numbly for a few moments before placing it back on the hook. "They want to kill Shade and replace him with a clone."  
  
Phil's eyebrows shot higher. "You're right, that is pretty twisted."  
  
Sean, however, was looking farther ahead. "Should we tell him?"  
  
Rayen shook his head. "No, Shade's got enough on his mind, it would just upset him. You know what he went through in that place."  
  
Phil and Rayen glanced at each other darkly, for they had been the only ones to see beneath the Dark Dragoon's mask. For Shade to see himself, before he had been mutilated beyond recognition, might be too much for the Dark Dragoon. If told, Shade would think of nothing else until Eclipse arrived. They needed his mind on other things. No, it was better for him not to know, at least for now.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
The shadowy creature had crossed into Tiberoa the day Rayen had released the Apocalypse Dragoon. Now, it crept through the Barrens, navigating its way slowly through the maze of desert and sandstone caves. It tread lightly, no dust stirred up by its steps. It ignored the oppressive heat that hung thick in the desert air. The arid climate was a minor irritant, soon to be dealt with once it had passed beyond the sun's hellish glare upon this land.  
  
The monsters that inhabited the Barrens dared not attack Eclipse. Some had seen him before; they knew the fluid way he moved, and they feared the far more fluid way he plunged blades into bodies. But there was one thing, actually three things, that Eclipse feared in this place. He steered far away from the cave the Red-Eye Dragons had chosen for their home, knowing that alerting them of his presence would spell his own doom. He knew that they would have no qualms about killing him, as they would with an ordinary human, in fact, they would actually welcome his death, for he would be much easier to feed to their infants than the monsters they normally consumed. To feed the babies, they often had to bring the monster back alive, and let the fledglings devour what they could before the quarry died and dissolved into smoke.  
  
Although he stayed as far away as possible from the Dragon lair, he traveled quickly. He had no idea when the Dragoons would leave Deningrad, or more importantly, where they would go when they left. Therefore, Eclipse wanted to reach his predecessor before they left the capital city of Millie Seaseu, if possible. Soon he would reach Donau, and Millie Seaseu would be within his sights. Something like grim excitement passed through Eclipse's mind. Soon, his life's task would be completed.  
  
Author's Note: OK, I realize that not much happened in that chapter, but that was me explaining Eclipse and his purpose and all that. He was originally meant to kill the Dragoons, but now he's going to join the good guys. Odd, huh? Of course, that's if they let him. Killing Shade won't do much to endear him to the group. But, hell, it's not his fault, it's the only purpose of his existance. On some level, I almost feel sorry for him. O_o I have problems. 


	57. Anger of the Earth

Author's Note: You people are acting like Shade's already dead. Eclipse still has to find the Dragoons if they leave Deningrad, and when he finds them, he's got to deal with nine angry Dragoons who aren't exactly enthused (yes, that is a word) to see one of their number killed. Eclipse is a Dark Dragoon, the scientists managed to find a Spirit that worked for him. If he DID manage to kill Shade, then he'd replace them and fight in the war alongside the others (if they let him), so when you think about it, the entire purpose of his existance is to kill. That's why I kind of feel sorry for Eclipse. As for Shade being cute before he was tortured, I'm really not the person who can judge these things. I don't really get the whole bishie thing.  
  
Phil isn't a dumbass, he just has different... how should I put this... priorities than Rayen and the rest of the group. Besides, more often than not he's just joking around anyway.  
  
Chapter 57  
  
Shade and Nieva left the one of the smaller auditoriums of the Crystal Palace that had become a makeshift training stadium among the throng of recruits. Teaching hundreds of Dragoons to fight at once was no small task, but the two had managed well enough. Most of the Dragoons who had not just received their Spirits had a fair amount of training with their weapons, and some had already mastered the somewhat tricky art of magic. Thus Shade and Nieva stuck with the raw soldiers who had just arrived while the more experienced Dragoons taught each other finer points of magic use or sparred during the session.  
  
Neither of the two spoke as they descended along a crystal staircase that glittered in the morning sun. It was not that there was any enmity between the pair, it was merely that neither really had anything to talk about that would be worth expending the breath required to say it. So silence reigned as they made their way towards where the others were waiting, at least vocally. Shade's padded boots made very little sound against the crystal, but Nieva's armored feet made up for that by making enough noise for both of them. They eventually reached the chamber where the group had agreed to meet in previously.  
  
Rayen, Phil, and Sean were already waiting, as were Oraeus and Artaeris, who had just arrived from being off by themselves, most likely reminiscing about the fifteen years that they had been separated. Nieva noted that Kyra and Dawn were still gone, although the thought that those two near-polar opposites would want anything to do with each other amazed the Sacred Sister. Aquaria was missing as well, and Nieva marveled at the fact that the Sea Dragoon had not managed to bring the palace down around their ears. Give her a little time, the female knight mused darkly.  
  
Rayen glanced up towards the new arrivals. "How did it go?"  
  
"All right. Most have figured out how to use magic. Some need more training with their weapons, though."  
  
Shade offered his own view. "Nothing will teach them how to fight more effectively than a dose of real battle."  
  
Rayen's face was grim. "We may not have much longer to wait."  
  
Sean nodded in agreement, while Shade and both half-Gigantos lapsed back into silence.  
  
Phil spoke up somewhat awkwardly. "How much longer do you think we have left?"  
  
Rayen folded his hands and rested his chin on them pensively. "A day, I'd guess. Maybe less. The group that they sent out two days ago didn't put much of a dent in their supplies, so it's almost like they've been stockpiling for their next deploys for nearly five days now. They should attack very soon, so we should be ready.  
  
At this point, Kyra and Dawn returned from their excursion. They sat down almost immediately, and at that point the banter shifted to somewhat more lighthearted subjects. However, Nieva kept shooting nervous gazes towards the doorway. As much as she loathed admitting it, she was worried about Aquaria. Somewhat useless, she knew, for Aquaria probably found something that interested her much more than meeting back here. Still, it was far later than when they were all supposed to have come back from their individual tasks and Nieva couldn't help a twinge of apprehension in the back of her mind.  
  
As if on cue, Aquaria came running in so quickly she was unable to regain traction and nearly skidded into the wall. Picking herself up, she dashed over to the group. Now Nieva remembered! Aquaria had been assigned to lookout. That did nothing to alleviate her fears, however.  
  
"The next wave is coming," Aquaria panted breathlessly.  
  
As usual Rayen was up on his feet before anyone else could react. "Shade, go get the recruits and tell them that their first chance at battle is here."  
  
"They might not like it so recently after training."  
  
"That's nice. Welcome them to the army, and tell them that if they aren't ready to fight in about three minutes, the people of Deningrad will be very unhappy with them."  
  
"Spoken like a true commander."  
  
"That goes for you too, Shade, so I suggest you get a move on."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"One more thing, Shade. If you ever call me 'sir' again, you will not wake up the following morning."  
  
So the Dark Dragoon left with a private smile nobody else could see.  
  
Rayen and the others assembled outside of the city, facing the onrushing legion. It was only slightly larger than the first division, but of course 'slightly' was a relative term. Thousands of soldiers blotted out the white of the snow, choked the blue of the sky. Rayen drew forth his crystal Spirit. He made a brief metal assessment of the situation, then turned to the Dragoons waiting behind him, Shade and the new conscripts having just reached their position.  
  
"Right. Tell everyone to go and take on the aerial troops. I realize that some of you may not be used to fighting airborne, but you'll get used to it. I'll stay here and deal with the ground troops."  
  
Kyra glanced at him. "By yourself?"  
  
Rayen raised an eyebrow, and the Wingly shrugged. The field was lit by hundreds of glittering gems, and wings of every color spread as the Dragoons took to the sky. As he watched them go, Rayen banished his fears from his mind and reached out to the crystal in his palm. Rayen breathed a sigh of immeasurable relief as the flames spread from the crystal, signifying that the Guardian Dragoon was in control.  
  
His transformation completed just in time, the blade appearing in his hand as the malicious tide sought to drown him. Drawing Birathion back, he swept the blade across the front line, killing six with one stroke. The horde spread apart, seeking to encircle Rayen, but the Guardian Dragoon was hardly worried. There were only so many that could engage him at once, and he was more than capable of defending himself. Sure enough he struck down another half dozen, their bodies offering little resistance to the Protector's enchanted blade.  
  
The aerial battle was a different story. Most of the new Dragoons were totally unaccustomed to fighting in three dimensions, for in the air an opponent could attack from above or below as well. So the Dragoons were forced to use their most precious advantage, magic. Fireballs, lightning, ice, and beams of light all shot through the air, taking down countless foes. The sky absorbed the spells as they went on their deadly path, raising the energy level in the air to an almost intoxicating level.  
  
After more than two hundred lay dead from Rayen's blade, Rayen began to tire of holding back. No matter how long he could hold out physically, the only real way to permanently dispose of such a large number of enemies was with magic. He vaulted into the air, landing outside the ring of adversaries.  
  
Oraeus happened to glance down at that point, and he immediately recognized what Rayen was planning. "You're going to use magic? What if more arrive?"  
  
Rayen's reply was swift and determined. "If we don't deal with these now, there won't be anything left to greet the newcomers but dead bodies."  
  
Oraeus nodded, and signaled to the fighting Dragoons. All thirty Jades, including Phil, split off from their individual battles and all congregated in the center. Raising their hands to the air, the winds picked up into a gigantic tornado that swept through the unfortunate opposition. The others picked off all that were not immediately destroyed. Just as they had planned.  
  
Rayen nodded, and sheathed his own weapon. He wouldn't need it. Reaching into the shifting sea of the elements, he brought two to the forefront. The red and gold stripes of his armor grew, swallowing the other colors hungrily. Raising his gaze to the sky, he began the spell. "The fury of the earth, welling up beneath for eternity, bursts forth in punishing flame. Rage of Gaia."  
  
Rayen did not strike the ground, or make any motion at all to initiate the magic. Endiness would do that task for him. The earth began to shake and split, enormous spiderwebs of cracks forming beneath the feet of Rayen's hapless foes. Pillars of flame shot from the cracks, consuming any fool unlucky enough to be standing above one. The flaming bodies spread the blaze with amazing speed, and soon all of the enemy soldiers were alight. When certain that none remained alive, Rayen lifted his hand, and the fire died.  
  
Once again, the dying light of the Spirits glittered, and the Dragoons stood victorious. The new warriors gaped at their leader with undisguised awe. Rayen suddenly felt very uncomfortable. He hoped they would get used to it soon. But undue attention was the least of his numerous problems at the moment, and Rayen knew that very well.  
  
Author's Note: There's some action for you guys. That Rage of Gaia spell is the first one with a name I actually like. I'm normally horrible at naming spells. Meh. Sorry it took so long for this chappy to get up, our DSL has been acting screwy lately. Okey dokey, chapter over! 


	58. Who He Used to Be

Author's Note: It's not necessarily that Nieva and Aquaria don't get along, it's just that Nieva hates feeling worried about Aquaria when she's in trouble. I guess Nieva's not the kind of person who would be very in touch with her maternal instincts.  
  
I'm glad SOME people are starting to like Rayen. In the beginning nobody really liked him. But I like him. Not that anyone cares.  
  
Yes, Shade is the incarnation of kick-ass. I slaved over him to make him that, and apparently it worked. Just wait until he gets a chance to use this spell I've got for him.  
  
Yes, I liked the Rage of Gaia spell too. I've got another spell ready for Rayen. It's Wind/Water/Thunder. That's right, THREE elements. It's got a decent name too.  
  
Chapter 58  
  
Eclipse stood in the middle of Donau, gazing around at the sea of colors that stretched out before him. Despite the changes of modern society, the city of Donau had remained as unconformist as always, scorning the urban style of most of the Endiness metropolises over their gigantic flower gardens that had remained as part of Donau's history for millennia. Still, the winding river of time left no place unchanged, and Donau was hardly an exception. The humble port town had become one of the largest cities in Tiberoa due to its proximity to the sea and excellent position for trade with their neighbor, Millie Seaseu.  
  
The cloying perfume of the flowers overpowered Eclipse as he made his way towards the port. This provided quite a dilemma for the determined Dark Dragoon. How would he get across the ocean to Deningrad? He could never get onto a plane with two swords and a Dragoon Spirit. He had no money or papers to get on a ship. His advisors hadn't given him instructions on this. He would have to improvise.  
  
He weaved through the masses, headed for the docks, all the way contemplating his options. There was only one real solution to this mess. He would have to stow away on a boat headed for Millie Seaseu. How he could do so without being discovered was a different problem entirely. The ports yawned out before him; ships of all shapes and types bobbing in the surf like bathtub toys.  
  
He spotted a boat that would serve his purpose best. It was a cargo ship, Eclipse guessed, for it was large, undecorated, and painted a dismal, depressing gray. That would work perfectly. There was plenty of space and cover for hiding with all the goods lying about. Judging by the amount of sailors entering the boat's hold, he guessed it would be departing soon. He would have to act fast.  
  
Eclipse walked nonchalantly up the gangplank, doing his best to avoid attention. Taking a good survey of his surroundings, he noticed that the starboard side of the boat was better hidden from the public eye. Waiting until nobody was watching, he dropped off the gangplank, seizing hold of a line in the ship's plating. Making his way along the rivets, he waited until he was sure he was out of sight. Finally, he used his longer blade to pry open a porthole, making sure to catch it before it fell into the water below.  
  
He peeked inside the opening. Excellent, he had found the cargo hold. Slipping inside, he replaced the porthole cover and took shelter behind a pyramid of boxes. This was far easier than he expected. However, now he had a nine-hour boat ride ahead of him.  
  
Eclipse was just about to settle down into his temporary home when he heard footsteps echoing through the steel corridor. He cursed mentally as he saw the silhouettes of sailors fill the hallway leading to the cargo hold. They must be doing a routine check of the supplies. Eclipse racked his brain for a solution. Although he wasn't able to transform for obvious reasons, he could still use the limited amount of magic he could access outside of Dragoon armor. He reached deep into the pool of darkness within himself, shrouding himself in it, melding with the shadows that surrounded him.  
  
The sailors made a quick count of the boxes in the hold before tromping back out of the hold. Eclipse risked breathing a heavy sigh of relief once they were well out of sight. The could of shadows parted, and he was left alone with two hundred and sixty eight boxes of fruit headed for Fueno. He was very glad he had several magic-restoring potions stashed away for later use. He had no idea how many times they might check back in the hold, and he hoped he would have enough to hold out until they reached Millie Seaseu and he could head for Deningrad uninhibited.  
  
For most of the nine-hour trip, Eclipse was left only with his thoughts. Although his mission seemed perfectly logical at first glance, but when he mulled it over in his mind, there was something decidedly twisted about killing a living thing just to replace it. But he shook those thoughts away. Obedience was his single driving instinct. The simple idea of going against orders was beyond him. The scientists had made sure to program that out of him.  
  
After questioning his own motives for nearly half a day, with occasional breaks to place him out of the crew's sight, Eclipse finally reached Fueno. Prying open a porthole once more, he slipped into the water, swimming to the shore. He was soaking wet when he pulled himself from the ocean, but that did not bother him. His clothes would dry once he got away from the sea breeze. He trudged through the gloomy city, still in mourning over the tragic destruction of its neighbor Funri by the now-deceased Divine Dragon.  
  
Once he exited the port town, the sun beat down on the Dark Dragoon. Sure enough, he felt his clothes began to dry. It was hard for Eclipse's spirits to remain buried in gloom when the sun was shining and Deningrad was such a short distance away. He would arrive within a day or two, about four days earlier than expected. Soon, his purpose would be fufilled.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Rayen, Phil, and Shade sat in their usual meeting place in the Crystal Palace, relaxing after the previous day's battle. Each had spent the day in various places of Deningrad, kicking back after the rigorous work of training and maintaining an army of Dragon Warriors.  
  
Phil grinned at Rayen when he arrived. "So, what did you do in Deningrad? Get a chance to sample the local color?"  
  
Rayen didn't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out what he meant. The Jade Dragoon was hardly difficult to predict. He rolled his eyes, reached over, and rapped his knuckles against the back of Phil's head. "I think we have slightly more important things to worry about..."  
  
Phil cut him off. "See, that's the problem with you. There's always something more important, always something to worry about. Wake up and smell the roses, man. You only live once, and we're not getting any younger."  
  
To hear that coming from the Wind Dragon Knight was almost comical. "We're seventeen, Phil."  
  
Phil gave the sort of overly dramatic sigh exasperated adults gave children. "You're hopeless, you know that?"  
  
Rayen said nothing. Phil sighed again and got up, walking away while shaking his head. Rayen was not paying attention, however, his eyes on the other person in the room. Shade sat motionless, silent as usual. Rayen wondered what the Dark Dragoon was thinking. Certainly it wouldn't be what he was thinking about. He had no idea what was approaching Deningrad at this very moment.  
  
What could it possibly be like to be faced with yourself? Not just yourself, but the person you used to be, the person you would give anything to become again? Then you learn that your copy's only purpose is to kill and replace you... Rayen couldn't imagine how much Shade would be devastated by Eclipse's appearance, because nobody really knew exactly what the Dark Dragoon had been through. Rayen doubted anyone ever would. Rayen could practically feel the pressure contained inside Shade, and he wondered if it would ever become so intense that the Dark Dragoon would burst, unable to stand it any longer.  
  
Dark forces were pressing in from all sides, but the Dragoons maintained a close ring around the world of Endiness. The question was; who would crack first?  
  
Author's Note: Mwahahahaha... chapter over. Yes, I know it was short and it took me forever to update, but I wrote the first chapter of Crimson Wings and I had to finish my essay on gun control and the Second Amendment for History class, so gimme a break. Anyway, next chappy Eclipse comes knocking! Actually, 'knocking' probably wouldn't be the correct word. More like 'kicking the damn door down'. But I digress. 


	59. Shade's Gift

Author's Note: OK, I stand corrected. People like Rayen. Mwaha. Good, for he is the main character and stuff. So yeah.  
  
Yes, Eclipse is cold-blooded and can't think for himself, but that's hardly his fault. The people who cloned him from Shade edited his brain, taking all that stuff out. They designed him to kill, essentially, and he is physically and mentally unable to disobey. He just can't do it. Period.  
  
As for the whole Dragoon army thing, you're exaggerating when you say millions. There's a big difference between a couple hundred and a few million. Every time a Dragon dies, a Spirit is made, right? Well, there have to be quite a few Dragons dying over the history of Endiness, and each of those Spirits have their individual owners. It's really just simple logic. Besides, when you think about two or three hundred Dragoons in perspective with seven billion people, there's only about one Dragoon for every twenty-five million people or something like that. They're still pretty rare, when you put it all in perspective.  
  
Keep in mind that the army is made up of every thing that ever lived in the past twelve thousand years. Rayen and the gang have been fighting the weakest part of the army, like animals and whatnot. The opposition is attempting to wear the Dragoons down with their incredibly superior numbers. Once all the weaker peons are dead, we'll get to see the humans and the Winglies and all them. As for no central leader, every army has got to have a general, doesn't it?  
  
The Dragons are living in their respective lairs. They aren't joining the war because they're trying to repopulate the Dragon race on Endiness.  
  
Meh, a guy takes a break for a few days and gets pushed off the first page. Harumph.  
  
Chapter 59  
  
Nobody paid much attention to him as he made his way through the crowded streets. Although he seemed a little old to be constantly attempting to keep up with modern fashion, nobody was very concerned. Just another person imitating a Dragoon, they judged by his attire. Deningrad had more than its fair share of oddballs. Nothing about him seemed particularly ominous.  
  
Eclipse entered the front gates of the Crystal Palace. There was no real need for stealth here. In fact, some thought he actually was Shade without his mask. Thus, he was able to pass into the actual castle without any difficulty at all. Eclipse felt his pulse race as he moved through the crystalline corridors. Finally, after ten days of journeying across the land and months of being poked, prodded, and examined in that lab, it all came down to this.  
  
Shade was hardly difficult to track. By reaching into the pool of darkness that was his natural element, Eclipse was able to locate all the beings in his immediate vicinity with an abnormal magical output. Naturally, because there were so many Dark Dragoons congregated in Deningrad, he received a great deal of feedback, but there was one that stood out, far greater than the others. That was most obviously his target. With a private smirk, he followed the trail that his prey had unwittingly laid out for him.  
  
Eclipse pushed through the door leading into the meeting room where Shade was located. Taking a brief look inside, he cursed beneath his breath. All eight of the other Dragoons were with him! He had been warned during mission briefing that these comrades might attempt to stop him. He had been hoping to find the Dark Dragoon alone.  
  
Of course, this was only a minor problem. Eclipse doubted the others would interfere if he proposed a duel or something of the sort. He walked slowly and deliberately towards the Dragoons, not wanting to cause unnecessary clamor. The male Eclipse had been told was the leader spotted him first. The reaction was instantaneous. His eyes first opened wide in surprise and shock, then narrowed, and his hands automatically switched positions, his right fleeing to the hilt of the sword on his back, his left reaching into his pocket, obviously for a Dragoon Spirit.  
  
Disturbed by their leader's reaction, the rest of the Dragoons turned to look at the newcomer. Two of the others had much the same reaction as the first; the others looked merely confused. However, they all turned to study Shade's reaction. They saw something that they thought they would never glimpse in their entire lives. The Dark Dragoon's brown eyes were wide in stark uncomprehending disbelief.  
  
Drawing the Violet Dragoon's attention from the shocked Shade and the duplicate that had come to assassinate him, Rayen gestured frantically to Kyra. The middle of the Crystal Palace was hardly the best place for this meeting. The Wingly nodded, and the group was whisked away on the winds of magic. They reappeared on the snowy grasslands of Millie Seaseu, far from the public eye. They would not want this information to get out.  
  
By this point, Shade had regained his composure. He tried to feign indifference, but it was clear the sight of Eclipse had him shaken up. However, his voice remained gruff. "What the hell is this?"  
  
Rayen cleared his throat before answering. "Well, he's a..."  
  
Eclipse's voice throughout the frosty air as he interrupted. "I am capable of speaking for myself. I am your replacement."  
  
Rayen was sure that if Shade's eyebrows were visible, they would be raised.  
  
Eclipse continued. "My creator's experimentation on you was vastly unsuccessful. Therefore, they used some of your unaltered DNA to create me to amend their failure. You are therefore obsolete, so I was sent to kill you and replace you for the benefit of your comrades."  
  
Shade visibly flinched at the harsh words, but retained at least the outward appearance of calm. He turned to Rayen and the others. "Did you know about this?"  
  
Sean moved forward to speak. "Well, we were going to tell..."  
  
Rayen cut him off. He did not feel there was a need for excuses. "We wanted you to your mind on fighting."  
  
Shade nodded, seeming to accept that answer. It was only part of the truth, and Rayen was sure Shade knew that, but it made no difference. Eclipse drew his blades, poising to strike, but Shade folded his arms and made no move. "I will not fight."  
  
Rayen growled and drew his own sword. "Fine. Then I will."  
  
"No."  
  
Rayen looked backwards at Shade, puzzled. "What?"  
  
"Don't fight him."  
  
"Well then what the hell do you suggest we do about him? He's not just going to stand there picking posies!"  
  
Shade readied his weapons in response, and both Dark Dragoons reached for their Spirits. Phil looked on in confusion. "Wait a second, I thought he said he wasn't fighting. What's he transforming for?"  
  
Rayen shrugged. "When I finally figure Shade out, I'll make sure to let you know."  
  
As soon as his transformation completed, Eclipse lunged, blades flashing. Shade met them with his own weapons, but did not counter. He dodged the next blow, staying out of reach. Eclipse fired a bolt of dark magic, but Shade merely ducked beneath it. Every time Eclipse attacked, Shade avoided. Despite all his obvious opportunities, Shade never fought back.  
  
Rayen watched the battle with interest. He realized what Shade was doing. He was wearing Eclipse down. He was expending very little energy by parrying and dodging Eclipse, while his opponent was hurling himself at Shade to no avail. But if he wasn't fighting back, what was the point?  
  
Eclipse pulled back. Damn it, he thought. This wasn't supposed to happen. Because Shade was not fighting back, Eclipse had no opportunity to gain the upper hand. He sliced downwards with his serrated blade, but Shade sidestepped the stroke. Thrusting in with his longer blade, he cursed inwardly as Shade's weapons blocked his sword.  
  
Eclipse withdrew his blades, circling around his foe. Panting, he considered his options. There was really no choice but continue fighting and hope Shade would slip up, giving him a chance to finish him off once and for all. He lunged inwards, his swords flashing above his head. Finally, Shade saw what he was waiting for. Ducking beneath the weapons, his gloved hand shot up and seized hold of Eclipse's forehead, and Shade reached deep into the shadowy corners of his tortured past.  
  
Eclipse let out a harsh bellow and grabbed hold of Shade's hand, trying to pry the Dark Dragoon's fingers loose. At first, Rayen thought Shade was attacking Eclipse's mind magically, but the way Shade closed his eyes, and the haunted look on Eclipse's face, erased that possibility. Rayen saw Shade's free hand clench, as if it pained him as well. Finally, Rayen realized what was happening. Shade was transferring his mind to Eclipse. Shade was giving back all the memories, thoughts, and emotions that Eclipse's creators had taken from him.  
  
Rayen seriously doubted it was a pleasant experience.  
  
Eclipse yelled in agony once again as images flooded his mind. He saw villages pillaged and burnt; charred bodies flung every which way amid the chaos. He watched as pitifully malnourished children covered in dust starved as they waited for their parents who would never return. He observed as prisoners were brutally tortured for paltry information. Then, finally, he looked on as his own body was destroyed, twisted and damaged beyond repair in the name of 'science'. These hellish visions shifted and merged before his eyes, until he thought he would explode from the sheer anguish of it all.  
  
Then the pain receded. Opening his eyes, he saw Shade's hand leaving his temples. The pain was gone, yes, but the images were not. They lingered on, accompanied by a sort of dull ache. Eclipse knew they would never leave, no matter how hard he tried to erase them. Slowly, with hands that convulsed and shook, Eclipse scooped up his weapons and his Spirit, returning them to their proper places.  
  
He remained on his knees, shuddering. New things surged in his mind, fear, sorrow, and anger. But with those feelings came free will. He was no longer shackled to the whims of those that had made him. Eclipse glanced up once more at Shade, who stood there, his eyes filled with some indescribable emotion. Then he scrambled off into the snowy grass, stumbling on all fours like some sort of half-crazed animal.  
  
Shade's Dragoon armor faded, and he returned his swords to their respective sheaths. He said nothing for a very long time afterwards.  
  
Rayen watched Eclipse go, his eyes filled with an overwhelming sorrow. Shade hadn't killed Eclipse. He had cursed him with humanity.  
  
Author's Note: A somewhat creative way to deal with Eclipse, needless to say. Trust Shade to do something like that. Meh. Anyway, sorry that took so long. But I did it. Give me credit for that. 


	60. Endless Battles

Author's Note: Wait a second. *checks last chapter* Um... nope. It does not say anywhere in there that Eclipse is gone. So where did you people get that idea? Yeah, so he got all scared and ran away, but that doesn't mean he's gone. I think the biggest question is, is he still sane? I mean, if you had all that stuff transferred into your mind at once, one would think you'd become a little crazy. Unless, of course, you were already crazy to begin with. But that's beside the point.  
  
As for the whole updating thing, I took a break for a couple of days, sheesh. I spoil you people with my fast updates. Maybe I should slow down just to be mean. Nah, I'm kidding.  
  
Just so you know, signifies thought-speaking. Yes, Kyra is having a very lengthy mental conversation with herself. There's nobody in her mind or anything like that. Why she's having a mental conversation with herself is something not even I quite understand. Maybe she's the one going nuts. Of course, I'm hardly the one to talk. I have conversations with myself all the time. When someone asks me why, I always say that I make better conversation than most people. O_o Right, I'm done ranting.  
  
Chapter 60  
  
Eclipse sat on the snowy slope of a mountain, several hours after his confrontation with Shade. Thoughts raced through his mind, thoughts his creators had tried to rid him of permanently. But Shade had given them back. It had not been an easy process for either of the Dark Dragoons. Shade had seen his indecision and confusion when he had entered Eclipse's mind. He thought making Eclipse a true human being would allow him to come to peace with himself.  
  
But he was wrong, Eclipse thought bitterly to himself. This was hardly the peace he had wanted. Indeed, it was quite the opposite. The memories, the thoughts, the ideas all clashed together in his head, making a godawful noise in the process. Eclipse thought his head would burst as the raging turmoil of his mind blended into a discordant cacophony. It hadn't used to be this loud before. Everything was nice and silent.  
  
If anything, his wrestling with indecision had become even worse. He had no idea what to do anymore. Before, everything was so simple; the difficult part was justifying it to himself. Everything was ambiguous with his new knowledge. Things that had seemed straightforward now became infinitely more complex.  
  
Eclipse curled into a ball, but not because of the cold. No, the chill wind could blow all year round and he would not have noticed. He was struggling with himself. All the while, Shade's ironic gift surged throughout his mind. No, he had not gained peace within himself. All had become chaos.  
  
He just wanted the noise to go away...  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Shade felt the eyes of the other Dragoons upon him. Their gazes irritated him. It was over now, why were they still gawking? "Will you people stop staring? I'm not about to fall over dead."  
  
Rayen cleared his throat nervously. "Are you sure you're alright?"  
  
"I'm fine, damn it! Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
Rayen sighed. "Listen, I know how you must feel..."  
  
Shade shook his head. "No. You don't. But I appreciate the thought."  
  
Rayen lapsed back into silence. Shade let the silence hang in the air for a moment before speaking again. "Listen, I know what you're all thinking. I've managed to accept myself for who I am now. I'd rather be stuck in this ugly inhuman form than be like him, a soulless killing machine."  
  
Rayen spoke again. "But he's not a soulless killing machine anymore. You fixed that."  
  
"It makes no difference. Even if I could undo what has been done, I would not. This body has taught me things I never would have learned."  
  
But the shape was not the only thing that taught me, Shade thought privately to himself. It was all of you as well.  
  
Kyra watched the scene grimly. Just like Rayen, she thought to herself. Never minds his own business.   
  
The Wingly heard herself answer, to her great surprise. It is his business. The fate of the planet rests on him and the army. He needs to know what's going on in his own ranks as much as he needs to know what the enemy is doing.   
  
Still, he's always been prone to sticking his nose where it doesn't belong.   
  
You're just still mad because he noticed you acting weird in Ulara.   
  
Kyra began to get angry with herself, without stopping to think about how that was possible. I had nothing to hide!   
  
But he didn't know that. Besides, you do have something to hide.   
  
I'm no traitor!   
  
That's not what I'm talking about and you know it. Don't bother to deny it. Think and you'll figure it out.   
  
That has nothing to do with Ulara or the army, or this entire damn war!   
  
Still, it would explain why you were acting so strange.   
  
Kyra's mental debate subsided. She watched the others begin to get up and file out, her burgundy eyes fixed on Rayen. What was he thinking right now? Was he arguing with himself as well? No, of course not. He wasn't insane, at least not yet.  
  
Heaving a heavy sigh, the Wingly got to her feet and left.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Rayen stood on the crystal parapets of the Millie Seaseu capital, overlooking the snowy fields below. So far, the war had been going well. Their ranks were swelling, and there had not been one casualty so far. Of course, all of this could be contributed to the awesome power of the Guardian Dragoon. Despite their victories, Rayen knew they were only scratching the surface of the enemy's true strength.  
  
Rayen had a feeling something bad was about to happen, and Rayen's feelings were rarely wrong. He had no idea where these feelings came from. At first, he thought it was some sort of instinct. Then he thought it came from being a Dragoon, a sort of sixth sense only given to Dragon Knights. But none of the others mentioned anything about it. If it was a common trait of all Dragoons, all of the other Dragoons were doing a damn good job of covering theirs up. No, he just couldn't place where this came from, but he was both grateful for it and disturbed by it at the same time.  
  
Regardless of where it came from, it was there, and Rayen paid careful attention to it. It was true they had only beaten a small fraction of the opposition, and he knew that the legions that were still waiting to attack were much stronger. The power of the Guardian Dragoon was leveling the playing field, but what would happen if the Apocalypse Dragoon reared its ugly head? Soa only knows how much destruction he could cause if he released it on accident in the middle of a battle.  
  
Rayen wrenched his mind from those dark thoughts, and he glanced over at the portal, which hung in its usual place, lightning dancing around its edges. He had always wondered about that gateway. Was it one-way only, or could they get onto the other army's side? There was only one way to find out, really, but it would take a lot more successful victories before he could possibly convince the citizens of Endiness, and indeed the soldiers themselves, to go on the offensive. Damn, how he hated politics. Still, he couldn't help but wonder...  
  
He shifted his gaze to the snowy mountains. They were right next to where Kyra had brought them after Eclipse showed up. He wondered if Eclipse was still out there, and what was going through his head. Of course, he would never quite understand the true gravity of what Shade had done to Eclipse. In order to do that, he would have to know Shade, and the Dark Dragoon was about as easy to pry open as a giant clam. But at least you could use a crowbar on the clam.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of feet landing hard on the crystal floor of the battlement. He looked up, and saw Phil heading towards him. The Jade Dragoon skidded to a halt, panting. "We got problems, man. Check out the hole."  
  
He didn't need to ask what 'the hole' was. He knew. Rayen turned his eyes towards the portal, where a huge wave of black was slowly seeping forth. He swore as his hands fled to the hilt of his weapon and his Spirit. "Son of a bitch. Alert the troops. We've got another battle on our hands."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"The next division of troops have been sent through the gateway, Lord."  
  
"Excellent. Only I want you to send something else. Something more powerful. I don't want those pathetic fools thinking that an army of demonic angry wasps is the best we can throw at them."  
  
"Shall I send one of the..."  
  
"No, not yet. Always save the best for last, as they say. Send something more powerful, yet expendable. A three-eye, maybe. Yes, send a three-eye."  
  
"Of course, Lord."  
  
Author's Note: Sorry if that chapter was really confusing, it'll all make sense... eventually. Anyway, no, Kyra doesn't have a split personality or anything like that. Don't you people have arguments with yourselves? I do it all the time. Of course, I really am insane, but I'm sure sane people do it too. So yeah. Nevermind, I'm rambling again. 


	61. Three Eye

Author's Note: I specifically stated in the last chapter that Kyra is NOT a skitzo, but noooooo, you people just don't listen to me, do you? Humph. DDX, I noticed that too. Kyra is a lot like Rose, although that wasn't intentional on my part. That's just how she came out. Just like how Shade is kinda like Kanzas. The whole lust for revenge thing that leads them both to learn that it doesn't actually satisfy anything, yeah.  
  
Anyway, the Golden Dragoon with the hard-to-spell name is Oraeus, and his son is Artaeris. No, Artaeris hasn't gotten a Dragoon Spirit yet. You never know, though...  
  
60 chapters and no end in sight. Maybe I'll just keep this fic going forever. Then when you people are all old and grey and I'm on chapter 60,000,000 I can then laugh at you people just because I made you all read this for 60 years. O_o Or not.  
  
There's only one Divine Dragon at once, so it's impossible for it to mate and spawn new ones. However, Sean's Spirit came from the Dragon that came from the dimension that the Dragons had been trapped in before they entered Endiness, so technically the Divine Dragoon Spirit that belonged to Dart should still be out there somewhere...  
  
As for the Dragon Block Staff, it's true, the enemy could reforge it by using the demon Samovar, but Rayen and the others haven't appeared to have thought of that yet, and let's hope the enemy doesn't either.  
  
Chapter 61  
  
Sean pushed himself over the gleaming battlement of the crystal battlement, plummeting to the snowy earth below. Ignoring the wind that whipped through his hair, the Divine Dragoon reached for his pearl Spirit, and the Spirit burst into radiant light. The six wings sprouted from his back, and he fanned them wide, catching himself before he splattered across the ground. Unstrapping his ranseur from his back, he sped towards the battle, where several of the Dragoons were already fighting.  
  
Oraeus swung his axe downward, cleaving a foe in two. He swiped his weapon upwards, then curved it down again. He grabbed his axe in both hands, then drove it downwards. "Grand Spire."  
  
The heavy spike at the bottom of the axe's haft penetrated the ground with ease, and gigantic earthen spikes burst from the ground, impaling the enemies around him. He wrenched his weapon free from the earth, then began swinging it in its deadly flashing dance once more. He looked to Nieva, who was fighting nearby. "Remember, battle is an art form. Let it flow."  
  
The Sacred Sister growled. "Easy for you to say." She slashed hard to the right with her rapier, then spun it upwards, then back down again. Pulling it back, she thrusted the narrow blade forward. Lifting her weapon to strike another foe down, only to find a spear hurtling through the air and shoving itself through the enemy first. She pulled it from the ground, searching for the owner. Looking upwards, she smiled and threw it into the air. "You dropped this."  
  
A jade gauntlet plucked the weapon out of the air and began to spin it deftly, the spear dancing between the emerald fingers. Phil smirked. "Did I? Clumsy me." Moving the spear above his head, winds swirled about the Jade Dragoon. "Gaspless!"  
  
The tornado ripped through the enemy line, scattering the demons into panicked factions. The Dragoons worked quickly, cutting off each group and preventing the enemy from regrouping. The Jade Dragoon stood back to admire his handiwork, then spotted motion behind him. "A little late, but at least they showed up."  
  
Shade had arrived, along with the recruits. The Dark Dragoon calmly activated his Spirit as the others split off to deal with the surging tide of darkness. For some reason, this wave was made up entirely of a huge ground force. Therefore, it was necessary for the Dragoons to whittle this division down until Rayen could finish off the rest with a single spell. Upon completion of his transformation, Shade did not draw his weapons. He braced himself, planting his feet firmly and raising his open hands.  
  
Unlike some of the others, Shade did not have an original spell he had prepared. His was merely a twist upon an older spell, but Shade felt it was effective enough. His fingertips began to pulse gently with a shifting light. "Astral Assault."  
  
The ten adversaries unfortunate enough to be closest to Shade when he began the spell felt their life force being drained from their bodies, absorbed into each of Shade's fingers. Even as they fell lifeless to the ground, their bodies dissolving into smoke, the glow of what had been their life energy was spreading from Shade's fingers to his hands. He leapt into the air, then spread his wings wide, holding himself suspended, beating them occasionally to keep himself aloft. The blue-green glow formed a globe around Shade's hands, and he drew them back, preparing to strike.  
  
Unlike the Astral Drain spell he had derived this new technique from, Shade used the life energy he absorbed to further punish his foes, making it useful in a large group such as this. He thrusted his hands forwards, or downwards, considering he was hanging upside down, and released the absorbed energy in the form of hundreds of small projectiles that hurtled to the mass of black below, wreaking havoc among the ranks. Shade drew his weapons, and focused what remained of the spell into the two blades. Folding his wings to his sides, he fell from the air, driving the swords into the ground in the process. The remaining life force erupted from the earth in a dazzling blast that totaled all of the soldiers in the vicinity. Shade yanked his swords from the snow and gave a brief nod of satisfaction before diving back into the fray.  
  
Dawn lifted a silver-gloved hand to the sky. "Dying Star." With her free hand, she brought the curved tip of her berdiche to rest near the large diamond in the center of her headband, which began to gleam with a clear, pure luminescence. As if in response, there was a brief glint in the sky of the same pure light before it winked out. Before it left the sky, however, the two intermingled, forming an orb of light in her uplifted hand. Revolving in the air, she hurled the ball among the troops. Like a true dying star, the miniature nova detonated, sending a wave of searing light in all directions.  
  
Kyra turned to Rayen, giving him a questioning look. He shook his head. Not yet, the force was still too large. Snarling, the Violet Dragoon dove back into the battle, her claws flashing in the sunlight. Rayen stood and watched, admiring the magic his comrades had created. Soon the time would come.  
  
Aquaria soared loftily over the enemy division, searching for the best place to wreak her destruction. Finally, she found her spot, then stopped. Reaching into the raging waters of her element, she formed an orb of frost that hung in the air. "Freezing Pulse!" Raising her hammer, she struck it, shattering it into a burst of ice that coated everything in the area, freezing them solid. Landing, she smirked and knocked off the head of a frozen bear.  
  
A gray gauntlet caught the head, crushing it into hundreds of miniscule slivers of ice. Sean lifted his cannon, the frosty splinters falling from his mailed hand. "Very funny. Divine Dragon Cannon!" The white-blue beam sliced through the dark troops, wiping them from existence in a flash.  
  
Rayen finally nodded. Now it was time. All of the Dragoons saw the light burst from his quartz Spirit and backed up. None of them wanted to be in the way. Rayen stood in the armor of the Guardian Dragoon, taking to the air even as he reached into the pool of elements that surged within him.  
  
The gray and black stripes overwhelmed the others, and for a terrifying moment, some even thought he had become the Apocalypse Dragoon. Soon, however, this fear was dispelled, as he turned to the troops, his gaze firm. He lifted his blade. "The choking night sucks life like a leech, as the empty blade slices through the dark clouds, severing all ties. Parasite Blade."  
  
A cloud of pure darkness formed in the air, then lowered to the earth, until the black demons were indistinguishable from the dismal mist around them. Then, they were visible again as the cloud turned gray from stealing their life and altering it into the energies of the void. The cloud, now radiant silver, lifted back into the air, and an argent beam burst from the vapor, striking Birathion. As the sword surged with the energy, Rayen swung the Protector, releasing the life force into a razor-sharp wave that sliced through the air. As Rayen had prophesized, the blade of emptiness cut through the amassed devils with no resistance, splitting them all in two.  
  
Finally, the legion was no more, and Rayen raised a hand, dispelling the wave. Returning Birathion to its sheath, he turned to Phil, smiling. But his grin faded when he saw the look on the Jade Dragoon's face and the single finger he was holding in the air. Rayen turned, and saw something very big, very strong, and very, very ugly pulling itself through the portal.  
  
It was black as night, and stood towering over all it surveyed. It was misshapen and deformed, as if its mere creation was some sort of freak mishap. Its left arm was small with a huge clawed hand that was far out of proportion with the arm, so far in fact, that it was difficult to understand how the beast was able to lift it. Its right arm, however, was gigantic, and it ended not in claws, but with hundreds of tiny tentacles surrounding a gap in the hand. Three enormous, bulbous, night-blue eyes blinked from the triangular head. It was a Shadow Virage, a horrible mutation of the Winglies' ultimate invention.  
  
"Shit," Rayen swore as he drew his blade once more. The Virage let out an earsplitting roar and took an earthshaking step towards the Dragoons. Rayen tensed, gripping the twin dragons of Birathion's hilt.  
  
This was not going to be fun.  
  
Author's Note: Yes, Regrem was right, the 'three-eye' those two mysterious people were talking about at the end of last chapter was indeed a Virage. Mwahaha.  
  
Oh, and by the way, Rayen will find it more difficult in the future because those spells he's been using take up an incredible amount of magical energy. That's why he can only use one or two at once. So yeah. Okey dokey, that chapter was longer than usual, because I realize the chapters have been really short lately. 


	62. Snowstorm

Author's Note: Wait, do you want to use the character Rayen, or just the name? Yes, torturing Lloyd is fun, mweehee...  
  
It might have been a Dragon, but remember, the guy at the end of Chapter 60 said 'expendable'. One would think Dragons would be more valuable than that.  
  
Grand Spire is actually Oraeus's own spell. I realize that it sounds a lot like Grand Stream, but the spells are a little different. Meh. Yeah, Astral Assault, Grand Spire, Dying Star, and Freezing Pulse are all my spells. As are Parasite Blade, Rage of Gaia, and Cleansing Flame, but that's obvious.  
  
Chapter 62  
  
Rayen was still swearing under his breath when the towering behemoth reached the clearing. In their inexperience, a good portion of the recruits charged early, hoping to overwhelm the beast early. They paid for that mistake early when the Virage swung its gigantic left hand, knocking several out of the air and out of action. After several fell from the sky, their wings crushed, the others made a wise decision to back off. Magic was running low, and there was only so much the Silvers could expend on healing.  
  
There was one, however, who had purposely held out using magic. Kyra sent lightning surging through her claws, the bolts dancing along the curved barbs. "Power Surge!" Lunging forwards, she slashed viciously with incredible speed, shoving the Virage backwards. Then, slamming her feet into the Virage's chest to distance herself, she brought both claws together, letting the electricity combine, then released it in a crackling wave that made the Virage go staggering, struggling to keep its balance.  
  
Immediately Rayen recognized what needed to be done. Reaching into the swirling vortex of the elements, he brought the eternal flame forward, and the crimson stripe devoured all the others, one by one, until he was clad in the blood-red armor they all knew so well. Focusing intense heat into the tip of his shoulder, Rayen rammed into the teetering Virage, knocking it off its feet altogether. The enormous ebony body fell to the ground with an earthshaking crash.  
  
Again, several of the rookies got overly excited, diving in, hoping for an easy kill. The Virage thrust its right hand upwards, entangling them in its countless tentacles. It hurled them backwards, knocking several other Dragoons to the snow in the process. The Virage appeared to know everything they were about to do, as if it had been studying them. Or maybe the inexperienced Dragoons were simply predictable; it was impossible to tell.  
  
Knowing that the Virage would be much easier to defeat if it were kept from getting back up, Oraeus and the remaining Golden Dragoons, being the largest and most physical of all, led a charge to ram the Virage yet again. The line of golden-clad warriors kept spread apart, so they could not fall to the same fate as the last rush, but the Virage had another surprise ready for them. A huge white beam shot from the hole in its right hand, mowing them all down.  
  
Rayen swore. So that's what that gap did. He felt his spirits sink as he watched his warriors being cut down. He needed to do something and fast. He reached into the whirlwind of magic yet again.  
  
This time, not one, not two, but three stripes overwhelmed the others, blue, green, and violet. Rayen lifted Birathion, with the magic raging unchecked through him. His voice cut through the sounds of battle like a knife. "The storm rages overhead, and with the wind, thunder, and driving frost, it weeds out the impudent and the weak. Tempest Fury."  
  
Rayen felt the winds rip around him with intense speed, and he flared his wings, allowing the gales to catch him and propel him forward with unbelievable speed, the Protector flashing, as if the blade was reflecting the storm's pure energy. Birathion moved in a dizzying blaze, and before the Virage could respond, the Guardian Dragoon had already blown past it in the blink of an eye. Rayen did a quick about-face as the winds died, bringing the sword's tip to rest on the heavy plate of his shoulder armor. Biting cold focused in Birathion's blade, until the Protector visibly shimmered with the bluish-white frost.  
  
Rayen released the pent-up magic in a beam that froze the Virage solid, the abomination encased and sealed in a coffin of ice. It was a coffin; Rayen would make sure it became a tomb. He leapt into the air, and the winds grabbed hold of him again, hurling him bodily into the pillar of ice like a nail on a coffin, which shattered on contact and drove the helpless Virage into the snow, which crackled with a sickening noise as the heavy creature slammed into it.  
  
But Rayen wasn't done yet, not by a long shot. As he beat his wings, he lifted Birathion into the air, where a bolt of lightning struck it. The thunder flooded through his armor, making his hair stand on end. As the Virage attempted to get to its feet, he channeled the electricity into his open left hand. When the shadowy creature finally turned its three bulbous eyes to the Guardian Dragoon, it was only to have them open wide as Rayen released the magic in a final enormous sizzling bolt that dragged the Virage off the ground and into a nearby mountainside, causing a miniature avalanche to work itself loose and come cascading down upon its misshapen head, burying it beneath layers of glistening white snow.  
  
Rayen smiled in grim satisfaction and slid Birathion back to its sheath. He turned to leave, but his ears picked up a rumbling sound behind him. Surely it wasn't possible...  
  
He whipped around, only to see the snow tumbling from the Virage's fallen body. It was still alive! The black mutation shook the remaining snow from itself, raising its arms in the elation of triumph. Rayen watched in hopelessness as it approached. He reached desperately into the elements, but it was no use. He couldn't even light a candle flame with what he had left.  
  
The Virage let out a roar of victory that was soon turned into a hollow shriek of pain as a line of razor-sharp teeth sliced along its shoulder. The three night-blue eyes shifted to this new antagonist only to glimpse a young Red-Eye Dragon soaring upwards in victory. Balaeris grinned toothily before swooping downwards, aiming for a leg. It was quickly entangled by the Virage's tentacles, but that was exactly what the Red-Eye had intended. The grip was released quickly as Ikarus ran a claw along the beast's bulging chest.  
  
The Red-Eye and Jade Dragons briefly beat one wing in each other's directions in an almost congratulatory manner before they sped back into the battle, knowing that the other five Dragons would be soon to follow. Indeed, Merindel, Jineraq, Kujura, Pacina, and Razeroth were already visible, and coming in fast. The Dragons had grown rapidly, as prophesized by Samovar, and had matured from the size of a chicken at the time of their birth to the size of a small horse. Together, despite their youth, the Dragons were a force to be reckoned with.  
  
However, the Virage was no pushover either, having sustained a blast from the Guardian Dragoon and making it out alive. There were none else that could make that claim yet. In fact, it wasted no time picking the Dragons off one by one. Merindel was the first to go down, the Sea Dragon caught in the tentacles and put into a merciless strangle hold and thrown to the ground, body crushed, barely clinging to life.  
  
Jineraq lowered his crested head and rammed into the Virage, knocking it backwards, but not off its feet. The Golden Dragon was rewarded with a blast from the Virage's hand, and he fell from the sky, wings singed. However, it mattered little. The Dragons had accomplished what they had come for. The one who had sent them would surely make his move now.  
  
The shadowy figure hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. No, it was now or never. It was time to take hold of his new destiny.  
  
The insidious creature lifted its enormous left claw to crush the fallen Golden Dragon, but then halted and stumbled forward as if struck by some unseen force. The Virage visibly shuddered for a moment as the magic rampaged unchecked through its massive body, then exploded into huge clouds of shadow that revealed its destroyer.  
  
Shade immediately recognized their rescuer. The Dark Dragoon gave a smile that could not be seen, but was mirrored on a face that had once been his. Eclipse withdrew his blades from where the Virage had once stood, but slid only one back into its sheath. The other he kept firmly in hand as he floated gently to the earth.  
  
He walked slowly towards Rayen, sword still in his gloved fist. Some cautioned the Guardian Dragoon, but Rayen made no move. Eclipse stopped before the leader of the Dragoon Army, legs together, and raised his sword, but not to attack. The tip of the serrated blade moved to the Dark Dragoon's brow in a salute. Giving the first real smile Rayen had felt in a very long time, he nodded. But he turned to the fallen, the Dragons and Dragoons who would need immediate healing if they were to survive to fight another day.  
  
There was still much work to be done.  
  
Author's Note: Yuppers, another chapter over and done with. Yes, Freefall, Eclipse came back to save everyone. However, we are left with a serious problem. When something that can be hit by a three-element spell from Rayen and not die is considered expendable, then what are they holding back? Meh. Nevertheless, Tempest Fury is a kick-ass spell. No, seriously. Anyway, I managed to finish it even though I was watching the Super Bowl. Go me. 


	63. The Staff Resurfaced

Author's Note: Yes, Eclipse is a good guy now. His exact motives for joining Rayen and the gang without killing Shade are still unknown, but I'll get to that in some later chapters. Anyway, there will be no demonic Melbu Frahma, Freefall. Aside from being cliché as hell, the demonic army only started forming AFTER Dart and the Dragoons blew Melbu to tiny bits, and therefore, he was dead and there could be no demon copy made of him. The Shadow Virage's Endiness counterpart must have been one made by a group of renegade Winglies, or simply have been made during the Dragon Campaign and never found.  
  
About the Dragons, I didn't forget them, I just decided that I didn't think Rayen would let them fight until they were bigger. But Eclipse must have gotten hold of Razeroth telepathically and told them about the Virage, so they showed up. I did have to go back a few chapters and look up some of the Dragons' names. I remembered Balaeris, Razeroth, and Ikarus, but the others I had forgotten. But I know them all now.  
  
Freefall, although I'm hardly a member of the Raider Nation, I was a bit disappointed by the Super Bowl too. It would have been nice to see Tim Brown, a future Hall of Famer get a SB ring after 15 years of sticking by the Raiders, and to see Jerry Rice get one after all these years. But the best team won, there's no denying that. Tampa's pass rush prevented Gannon from getting anything going on offense. And now I'm ranting about football. Sorry, it's a guy thing.  
  
Finally, revivals. I've never been big on the whole bringing-the-original- characters-back sort of thing. To me it's kind of unoriginal and detracts from the story. Besides, even if I did bring Rose back, she wouldn't be able to take the Prism Spirit (I don't think I've used that exact name yet, but that's what it's called) from Rayen. It moves on each time its predestined owner dies. Therefore, it's stuck with Rayen no matter what. Or Rayen's stuck with it, depending on your point of view.  
  
Chapter 63  
  
Nieva spun in with her rapier, slashing downwards, then right, then left. Her opponent, however, was always keeping careful track of her weapon's motion, and was able to block or dodge her strikes. She retracted her weapon, then thrusted forward, but to the Sacred Sister's great irritation, the emerald armor edged just an inch out of the reach of her rapier's piercing tip. Frustrated, the Red-Eye Dragoon started beating her wings and hurled several fireballs at Phil. If she was not able to get some rhythm going soon, this fight would be over as quickly as it had begun.  
  
The Jade Dragoon spun his spear, deflecting one blazing projectile, then a second, and a third. He was playing the outlast game, letting his opponent throw everything she had at him while he expended as little energy as possible. It was not much like Phil's usual tactics, but the half-crazed looks of pure agitation that came over the female knight's face every time he parried a well-executed chop or edged just out of the way of one of her thrusts were simply to tantalizing to resist. He was amusing himself immensely, while the rookie Dragoons were learning something from watching the whole match. Shade and Oraeus, who had taken it upon themselves to oversee the training of the new recruits, had decided that the group could learn about fighting as Dragoons by watching more experienced warriors sparring, and had taken the match to the roof of the Crystal Palace to simulate terrain irregularities, and to show their uses and disadvantages in combat.  
  
Of course, there was only so much one could learn from watching a simple sparring match, so Oraeus and Shade had decided to make things more interesting. They had decided four Dragoons would spar together in pairs. That way, the rookies could learn how Dragoons of different elements fought in tandem, making them both more effective on the field. Plus, they also believed that showing the new Dragoons to fight together instead of individually would bring them closer together, to unite them despite their differences. It was a win-win situation, if such a thing truly existed.  
  
Shade backpedaled along the crystal spire, eventually jumping off it altogether, just as Dawn's berdiche came down where he had just been standing, with a loud metallic clang signifying that if he had been just a fraction of a second too slow, his head would have been cleaved in two. He beat his wings once, propelling himself to the same level as the Silver Dragoon, and hurled his longer blade, hoping to catch Dawn off guard and be able to go in for an easy strike. He had no such luck, however, as Dawn merely caught the blade in the gap between the crescent-shaped blade and the wooden haft. Shade dived; snatching his weapon back before Dawn could dispose of it and render him with only sword. He paid for it, however, when he turned around to see the Silver Dragoon's hand streaking towards him, gleaming with such an intense searing light that Shade could feel the heat even though it was still several feet away from him. He had to twist his body in a most uncomfortable way to avoid having a hole burnt clear through his stomach.  
  
Kyra watched from a safe distance, along with Oraeus, Aquaria, and Sean. Oraeus was taking every opportunity to point out individual tactics, as the two members of both pairs had decided to fight on their own for the beginning rather than as a team. Aquaria was merely enjoying the fight, while Sean was complaining that he hadn't been allowed to join the fight. Oraeus had steadfastly refused, however, saying that there was no equal match for the Divine Dragoon, Rayen's power being too great and everyone else's too little. Besides, using the Prism Spirit without need was always a very big risk. There was just too much at stake, especially with their early successes and the people of Endiness rallying behind their cause. One appearance from the Apocalypse Dragoon could ruin everything they had strived to achieve.  
  
None of this really concerned the Violet Dragoon, however. She was still preoccupied with her own problems. The Wingly had no idea why this thing was still plaguing her after all this time. Sure, she thought of it occasionally, but it was usually gone within a short while, pushed to the back of her mind by other things. But ever since Rayen had picked up on her strange behavior back in Ulara, it had lingered, hanging over her like some sort of ugly specter.  
  
Nieva brought her hands together, nurturing the tiny spark within her into a roaring flame, and she channeled that flame through her hands, creating a gigantic orb of flame. "Omega Flare!" She drew her hands back and hurled the enormous fireball directly at the Jade Dragoon. Phil got out of the way quickly, but the heat was so immense he practically felt his hair singing. "You nearly roasted me!"  
  
Nieva was already on the other side of Phil now, and had to do nothing but raise her hand to halt the huge sphere before it connected with something and exploded. "Oh well. You probably wouldn't have tasted very good anyway. Too stringy."  
  
"Ha, ha. I'm busting a gut."  
  
Besides, Nieva added silently, I was expecting you to dodge it. Slicing with her rapier, she divided the gigantic orb into hundreds of smaller pieces. Then, drawing her fist back, she punched the ball, so that the hundreds of individual projectiles scattered and headed towards the unsuspecting Wind Dragoon.  
  
There was no way Phil could hope to dodge all of those, so he was forced to do the only thing he could. Spinning his spear between his fingers, he called upon the winds that raged around him. "Rose Storm!" The Jade Dragoon sighed in relief as the fireballs threw themselves uselessly against the barrier of his magic, but he was still irritated. He hadn't wanted to use magic yet.  
  
He noticed that Shade and Dawn's battle had brought them their way. Flying over to them, he nudged Shade briefly. "Trade you." Shade, slightly preoccupied, only nodded. He was sure Phil had nearly driven Nieva insane by this point. The last thing they needed was a ranting mad knight on their hands. Besides, Shade would find it far easier to fight another opponent with a sword than against a polearm.  
  
The two Dragoons switched, and the battle raged on.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Rayen was paying only minimal attention to the sparring match outside, being in the middle of a lesson of his own.  
  
"Remember what the old Giganto always says. Battle is an art form. Don't restrict it, let it flow."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Rayen muttered, gripping both hands tightly on Birathion's platinum hilt.  
  
Eclipse waited for the Guardian Dragoon to make his move. This wasn't exactly a sparring match, for if it had been, Rayen would have him flat in no time at all. This was merely Rayen practicing the finer points of combat. Although he had technically only been in existence for a few months, Eclipse had all of Shade's assimilated combat knowledge, and was therefore just as proficient a teacher as his counterpart.  
  
With almost no warning, the Guardian Dragoon sprung into action. He swung downwards, and when Eclipse dodged, he looped the strike around and slashed right. When the Protector was blocked by Eclipse's longer blade, Rayen chopped right quickly. Surprised by Rayen's fast reaction, Eclipse had to withdraw his hand to avoid having it sliced off. As it was, the sudden force of his blow knocked the serrated weapon from the Dark Dragoon's grasp.  
  
With only one of his swords left, Rayen quickly disarmed Eclipse. The Guardian Dragoon removed Birathion's glinting point from Eclipse's unprotected throat and sheathed the blade. The older Dragoon was pleased. "Excellent. Keep progressing at this rate and no one will doubt your position as commander."  
  
"Yeah..." Sensing that Rayen was lost in his own thoughts, the Dark Dragoon decided to leave quietly so that the leader of the Dragoon army could be alone. Rayen sighed and walked slowly out of one of the countless auditoriums of the crystalline castle and onto one of the shimmering parapets looking over onto the snowy city below. He found his gaze drawn once again to the portal, the eyesore maintaining its depressing glare over the countryside. He found himself again wondering if the gateway worked both ways.  
  
Despite the army's role of defending Endiness, Rayen found himself yearning to go on the offensive. However, in order to gain the necessary support to cross over to the enemy's plane of existence, the Dragoons needed more of the victories they had been producing, enough for the citizens of Endiness to be fully convinced that they could defeat the opposition on their own turf. Rayen firmly believed that the only way to fully wipe out the enemy was to exterminate them in their own universe. Besides, if anything went wrong, they could always retreat through the portal back to Deningrad. None of the enemy forces would be able to get through to Endiness as long as they monitored the portal closely.  
  
Rayen found his hand grasping yet another of his odd acquisitions. His fingers closed around the cool turquoise gem of the Dragon Block Staff. For some reason, he had kept it even after the artifact shattered when they used it to defeat the Divine Dragon. He had felt almost obligated to give it a safe resting place. He still didn't understand why. But he had a feeling, and he had learned that his strange premonitions weren't often wrong.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
The dark creature cringed. His master's rage was like a flaming axe, poised to lop off his head within an instant. But the blow never came. He gently eased one blood-red eye open, and saw his sovereign waiting impatiently for him to elaborate. He stuttered, stumbling over his words out of nervousness. "W-we are missing a piece of the st-staff. The g-gem. We c- cannot reforge it without th-the gem. It is the p-pivotal piece in the m- magic."  
  
The mysterious lord's fury emanated from him in almost palpable waves, but he did not lash out and punish the messenger. "Very well. The staff would have been a useful tool against the Dragoons, nothing more. Already I can sense the leader of the resistance wanting desperately to go on the attack, preparing to walk neatly into our hands. Once we throw enough troops away to convince those fools to give him the support he needs, he will lead the Dragon Knights through the gateway. Then, we will close the portal behind him, sealing them in our realm. Then, the upstarts will slowly fall to casualties, until we can wipe them out with one final stroke."  
  
The messenger sensed his master's anger abating, and he even mustered up enough courage to smile impishly, the sniveling servile grin revealing a single glistening fang. He had no knowledge now, in hindsight, why he had been so worried in delivering this news. His lord was great; the mere inconvenience of the Dragon Block Staff made little difference in the long run. They had the numbers, the leadership, and every possible advantage. What could possibly go wrong?  
  
Author's Note: Long chapter this time. Yes. Anyway, I believe Nateo mentioned the Dragon Block Staff originally. I had planned on Rayen keeping the gem for a while. You didn't spoil the story, you just made me decide to bring back the staff into the story a little earlier than I had originally planned. Nateo also mentioned giving the POV of one of the amateurs. I might single out a couple of the rookies and make them minor characters, enough for me to track their actions and whatnot. Next chapter, we finally get to see what's been bugging Kyra so much!  
  
Oh, and if anyone's wondering what my update schedule is, I'm going to try to get the next chapter of Crimson Wings up before I do Chapter 64 (I try to update this every three days or so, so expect 64 by Saturday), and then I'll probably work on a parody. Not sure which one yet, though. 


	64. Magenta Smoke

Author's Note: As I mentioned, the Prism Spirit is Rayen's Spirit. It's not the Guardian Dragoon Spirit because it can also summon the Apocalypse Dragoon.  
  
Yeah, you can use the names if you want, Aya, just make sure you spell 'em right. I'll tell you something about Nieva I bet you didn't know. Her name actually is the Spanish word for snow. I needed a name, and I thought it was appropriate. Just a little twist on my part.  
  
Oh, and about the Dragons. Nieva owns Balaeris, Ikarus is Phil's, Razeroth belongs to Shade, Kyra has Pacina, Dawn's is Kujura, Oraeus has Jineraq, and Merindel belongs to Aquaria. Does that clear things up for everyone? And yes, they all made it out of the fight OK. None of the Dragons are dead.  
  
Chapter 64  
  
Shade's longer blade connected against Nieva's rapier with a loud crash of metal on metal. Shade ducked, then jabbed upward with his serrated blade. The Sacred Sister jumped backwards, then lunged, weapon held high. As she thrusted down, Shade dodged to the right, knocking the Red-Eye Dragoon back with a blast of dark energy. Snarling, Nieva fired off a ball of flame, which Shade ducked beneath, but the gap was narrow enough that the Dark Dragoon could hear the fire crackling.  
  
The bladed butt end of Phil's spear slammed hard against the hardwood haft of Dawn's berdiche. The crescent-shaped head of the polearm chopped hard, nearly decapitating the Jade Dragoon. Phil created an updraft, catching the gale in Dawn's wings and hurled the Silver Dragoon bodily into the air. Dawn threw a swarm of searing orbs of light down onto the roof of the Crystal Palace, but the Jade Dragoon soared into the air, beyond the reach of the shower of projectiles. Diving down, his wings folded neatly by his side, preparing to drive his weapon through Dawn's body, but the Silver Dragoon rolled over in midair.  
  
Oraeus studied the battle, his eyes following every detail of the four combatants. His chin rested on his hands, which were folded on the top of his axe, the heavy steel spike of the haft resting on the crystal rooftop. Every so often, he pointed out a particularly good move or a serious blunder out to the gaggle of onlookers behind him. Next to the half-Giganto sat Aquaria, shouting out at the warriors in amusement. Sean stood, swinging his ranseur in frustration, still peeved that he wasn't allowed to participate.  
  
The Golden Dragoon muttered, more to himself than to the crowd behind him. "They're going to need to work together. Now they're going solo, but it's not working."  
  
The combatants appeared to have that exact revelation at the same time as Oraeus, for the two pairs began to intermingle. Nieva dodged Shade's shorter weapon, and turned her head, only to find herself on the receiving end of a vicious blow from Phil. The reeling Red-Eye Dragoon felt another staggering stroke, this time from Phil's emerald boot, and the Sacred Sister fell to the crystalline roof, her crimson armor fading from the pure physical and mental exertion.  
  
There was some scattered applause, and Oraeus pointed out how well the two Dragoons had worked in tandem as a young Silver rushed to heal Nieva's wounds. The scales had been tipped; the odds were in favor of Phil and Shade now.  
  
Dawn, however, was doing her part to even the playing field. The large diamond in the center of her headband let out a flash of blinding light, and both Dragoons spun awkwardly, trying to shield their eyes. Dawn saw her chance, and dove for Shade, not wishing to be in a one-on-one battle with her elemental opposite, who was also far more experienced than she. The wooden handle of her weapon first hit the Dark Dragoon's stomach, then the side of his head. Positioning herself above the helpless Shade, she thrust the flat end of her polearm directly into the center of his face. Shade felt his nose break, awashing him in burning pain, and he too fell out of action, his injuries taking their toll on his remaining energy.  
  
The appointed medic once again scurried over to the second fallen warrior. Oraeus commended Dawn's tactics, although they were slightly less than honorable. Despite his own views on battle, Oraeus recognized the simple truth of the matter; this was war. The enemy would show no sympathy. They would not, could not, give them any sort of edge, and if that meant using underhanded tactics, then they would just have to deal with it, and berate themselves in shame after they had achieved victory.  
  
Spear and berdiche clashed, but Phil was impatient this time. He wanted to get this over with quickly. He soared into the air, far out of reach. Dawn was nearly out of magic, Phil knew she would attempt to dodge his spell rather than cast one of her own. All of the others had been coming up with their own original spells, but this time it was his turn to show them he had his own ideas.  
  
The spear danced through the fingers of his left hand. The weapon stopped spinning abruptly, and Phil wove it through the air in an intricate pattern, tracing a rune in the sky as the head of the spear left a shimmering green trail in its wake. Winds cascaded around him, but he used his wings as a buffer against their currents for a moment. He smirked. "God of the East Wind!"  
  
The winds surged around the Jade Dragoon's right hand, twisting into the form of an eagle's head, which opened its beak and let out a piercing cry. He dove, his spear in his left hand, and the eagle on his right. Thrusting with his weapon to divert Dawn's path of flight, he spun around, slamming his enchanted fist between the gleaming silver wings on Dawn's back. He stood back in satisfaction as the winds around him calmed, letting gravity do his job for him. Sure enough, the sheer force of the blow, coupled with the impact of the fall caused Dawn's transformation to come to an abrupt end.  
  
The crowd burst into enthusiastic applause, except for Sean, who gloomily thrust his weapon back into its set of straps on his back, the young orphan probably picturing himself in the limelight. Oraeus's large hands beat together, sounding like a series of thunderclaps. "Very good! I hope you all learned something."  
  
Sean grumbled. "I wish I had learned something."  
  
Phil gave a slight chuckle as he touched down onto the rooftop. "Get over it already, man. So the old man wouldn't let you beat us all, big deal. It's no reason to get your shorts in a knot."  
  
Sean muttered something incoherent. Phil was undaunted. "Care to share that with the class?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah..." The Divine Dragoon stomped off.  
  
Phil watched him go, the smile still on his face. "I tell you, that kid has some serious growing up to do."  
  
This time it was Dawn's turn to laugh. "Ah yes, this coming from the very epitome of maturity, who spends his spare time trying to talk to strange women and building castles out of toothpicks."  
  
Phil stuck his tongue out at her. "Hey, those are both very constructive hobbies, thank you very much."  
  
The Silver Dragoon laughed again as the Dragoons slowly filed back into the palace, the excitement over for today.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Kyra walked through the crystal halls, searching for a private place to muse. She finally found what she was looking for, only to see it occupied by Rayen. She glared at him haughtily, and the Guardian Dragoon could not resist a slight roll of his azure eyes as he got up and headed for the exit. Kyra sat down as he left, heaving a sigh. She knew it would be coming back in a few minutes. It always did.  
  
Kyra had no idea why it was haunting her so much simply because Rayen had picked up on it back in Ulara. Being in a Wingly city had brought it to the front of her mind again, and afterwards she had been unable to banish it from her thoughts. She had no particular desire to replay that particular memory over and over again, but it appeared that what she wanted had little to do with it. Damn, here we go again...  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"You sure you can handle this, rookie?"  
  
Kyra narrowed her burgundy eyes into an indignant glare. Although she had been a part of the organization for almost a year now, that jerk still called her 'rookie'. Despite their relatively short time together, the bitter rivalry between the Wingly and John Emerson, the man who had framed Shade for the murder of his older brother, was already beginning to form.  
  
Kyra snorted, turning from him. "Leave it to me. Just get out of the way, keep your mouth shut, and make sure not to shove the stick farther up your ass."  
  
The man looked as though he were about to make a scathing reply, but Kyra turned from him, heading for the outer ring of trees. This was a Wingly forest, rumored to be in the possession of a Dragoon Spirit. Although this was not even near the district where Kyra had grown up (and been exiled from), being a Wingly, it automatically made her a better candidate for this mission than someone like Emerson. She approached the border of the forest with caution, knowing that there would be at least half a dozen sentries with fireballs in hand, ready to incinerate her if she made a wrong move.  
  
She waited at the edge of the pines, and soon, a small Wingly came forth. She couldn't have been much younger than Kyra herself, who was fifteen at the time. She looked up at Kyra with the blood-red eyes that were reserved for the Wingly race, and that made her all the more conscious of her own magenta eyes, considered an anomaly in Wingly genetics. Her voice was soft. "What do you want?"  
  
"I've heard that an ancient Dragon Spirit lies within these woods. I was wondering if we could possibly make a deal with your leaders and borrow the Spirit temporarily..."  
  
The Wingly girl shook her head vehemently. "The Spirit? No, you can't have it! It's the ancient relic of our people, we could never give it up!"  
  
She seized hold of Kyra's wrist. Kyra, confused by this odd gesture, tried to free her arm from the girl's grasp. She resisted, and a struggle took place. Kyra wasn't quite sure what had happened next, but she assumed her claws must have slashed the girl's throat, because the young Wingly soon stopped fighting, and stared up at her as the life ebbed from her in the form of a river of blood flowing forth from her neck.  
  
Then, of course, all hell broke loose.  
  
The sentries burst forth from their hiding places, hurling both fireballs and furious exclamations. However, in their anger, they missed Kyra entirely and sealed their own doom. For, now that their locations were revealed, the troops surged towards them. The Winglies fought bravely, but they were ultimately overwhelmed by sheer force of numbers. Kyra knew what would happen next; the soldiers would make their way through the forest, pillaging, looting, and burning.  
  
She had not moved from her place when the soldiers returned, jeering and hooting from the blazing remains of the pine trees. Emerson was in the lead, his half-moon shaped axe stained with blood. He smirked at the vacant expression on her face. "Well look at the bright side. At least now we don't have to 'borrow the Spirit temporarily'," he said with a mocking sneer at her words. He held up a glimmering topaz, which pulsed with a golden light in his hand.  
  
Great. A Wingly forest stood in ruins, its inhabitants dead or worse, and a Dragoon Spirit was in the hands of her rival. What else could have gone wrong?  
  
But it was none of the consequences that bothered Kyra the most. It was the look on the dying Wingly's face. A mixture of sorrow, fear, and a tiny glimmer of pity. At first, Kyra had thought the pity was for her early death, but now she knew. The pity in the dead Wingly's gaze was for her. Finally, she understood why.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Kyra buried her face in her hands. She wasn't a traitor to her fellow Dragoons, she was a traitor to her own race, her entire species. Now she understood why the elders had sent her into exile. Every time she came back to the Winglies, the result was always tragedy. Exile once, two forests destroyed, and the blood was all on her hands.  
  
Rayen chose this moment to walk into the doorway. He had been halfway down the corridor when he had discovered he had left his sword behind. He saw Kyra's face in her hands, saw the tears fall. Suddenly, he decided it would be a better idea to come back for the weapon later. He took care to make as little noise as possible as he left Kyra alone with her sorrow.  
  
By the time Kyra realized someone had been watching her, and looked up in fury, ready to send a hundred thousand volts through the intruder's body, the Guardian Dragoon was gone.  
  
Author's Note: I am so mean to poor Kyra. Evil me. Mwaha. Yes. Okey dokey, you wanted to know what was up, and now you know. Lucky you. Yay. OK, I'm done. 


	65. Voices from the Crystal

Author's Note: DDX, that was indeed a flashback. I mentioned that Kyra was fifteen at the time. I also mentioned Emerson, who was the man that killed Shade's brother and framed him for it, getting him thrown out of his home. Remember, Shade met up with him when he pretended to join the bad guys, then killed him while the Dragons were being released. It was either Chapter 25 or 26, but I'm too lazy to check which one. That was just Kyra getting Emerson the Spirit without intending to, and killing a whole bunch of Winglies. So basically, Kyra was beating herself up over accidentally killing that Wingly girl, which caused the sentries to move from their hiding places and allowed the bad guys to make their whole hostile takeover bit and whatnot. She's mad at herself because she believes she caused all those Winglies to die, and she doesn't really believe she belongs with her species anymore. Yeah. I can understand how that would be a bit confusing.  
  
Anyway, I realize I said that I try to update this one every three days, but the keyword there is try. I wasn't able to get access to the computer in the living room on Tuesday (I have my own computer in my room where I do my typing, but it doesn't have Internet access), so I had to update this a little late. Sorry.  
  
Chapter 65  
  
Rayen had a lot more on his mind than retrieving his weapon when he had accidentally glimpsed her in her private battle. In fact, he had been in the room Kyra had chosen for her venting to gain some time alone of his own. Once he was back walking down the corridor, the sight of the Violet Dragoon in tears was quickly pushed to the back of his mind by other things. Still, he could not help but be surprised and confused by what he had seen. Kyra would rather forcibly rip someone's stomach open than let them find her crying, and yet she hadn't moved to somewhere more private where she was sure nobody could see her, and she hadn't even bothered to close the door. Plus, he didn't even have any idea what she was crying about.  
  
Well, he would have time to think about this strange situation later. He found another room, and slipped in the door, shutting and locking it behind him. He sighed, pulled the Prism Spirit from his pocket, setting it down on the table. Jamming his hands into his now-empty pockets, he began to pace restlessly around the room. It came soon, as he knew it would.  
  
A voice, quiet enough to seem like a whisper, but actually seeming like it came from a source that merely dampened the noise. "You're angry. I can sense it."  
  
Rayen made no response, he just continued to wind his way around the room, as if not actually caring where he was going, which was true enough. Some of the colors in the Spirit flashed as the voice spoke; the light gray of midsummer shadows, the light black of twilight, the deepest black of pure oblivion, and everything in between. "So why not lash out? Release your anger."  
  
A grim smile crept across Rayen's face. "At who, exactly?"  
  
"At those who have wronged you." The voice stated this like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
However, this obvious response earned a biting sarcastic remark from the Guardian Dragoon. "Ah, but they don't seem to be here at the moment, do they? Perhaps I should mail them a nasty letter. Then they'd think twice."  
  
Rayen could sense the voice quickly losing its patience with this impudent human and his pathetic morals. "It doesn't make any difference. Lash out at whatever you want. It achieves the same thing."  
  
"For you, yes. But I doubt the castle or the people of Deningrad would be too pleased with me for doing it."  
  
"Why should that matter to you? You can disintegrate them in a split second, flay their flesh from their bones, and have your way with them in any way you choose. You have the power."  
  
"Of course I could, but what would that gain me?"  
  
"Gain you? You could crush this world and everything in it beneath the heel of your boot."  
  
"Oh, how silly of me. Ruling over a dead planet would be so much more preferable to my current existence. I wonder how I didn't see that before."  
  
The dark colors of the Spirit swirled in agitation when the voice spoke next. "I regret that the Spirit landed in the hands of someone with such little ambition as yourself."  
  
Rayen smirked at the Murderer's obvious exasperation with his human pawn. "No, what you mean is, you regret that it didn't go to someone easier bent to your will. I'm too stubborn for your tastes. But I know better. Remember the whole 'greatest capacity for both good and evil' thing? I'm not ignorant anymore. It will be more difficult to take control of me now."  
  
Open anger was discernable in the voice next. "If only you weren't such a fool as to not realize your true potential!"  
  
Rayen snorted. "Potential for what? For death, for destruction, for tyranny? I have no desire to take this world in an iron fist. It wouldn't get me anything but despair in the long run."  
  
Briefly, the other colors of the Spirit, the eight colors of the elements, flashed above the Murderer's tempest of control, as if the Creator was pleased by his answer. The other half of Soa had not spoken to him once through the Spirit, even in the past discussions, of which there had been many. Rayen wondered if the Murderer was preventing the Creator from speaking, or if the other side was simply prevented from talking to him.  
  
When the voice of the Murderer came from the depths of the crystalline Spirit again, the anger and frustration were gone. The voice was calm and bland. It was if the past outbursts had never been. "But you can't just let your anger sit there. Even you know that."  
  
Rayen smiled grimly. He knew that the piece of the god that dwelled in his Spirit would bring that into play. "Yes. Anger is like a rash. If you scratch it, you relieve it temporarily, but it ends up coming back anyway. However, if you leave it alone, it festers, until it becomes something far worse."  
  
The black vortex within the Prism Spirit pulsed in an odd rhythm, almost as if the god were chuckling. "Not an analogy I would use to describe it, but an accurate one nonetheless."  
  
Rayen thrust one hand into his pocket. Could he do this? Would it be throwing away everything? But then, could he risk the consequences if he didn't? At the final question, his resolve stiffened, and his hand remained in his pocket, his fingers firmly wrapped around the contents. He took a few steps towards the table, then paused. He began to speak, in a voice completely lacking in doubt or remorse. After all, what was the point in turning back now anyway? "Perhaps my anger should be released on something more worthy."  
  
The Spirit did not respond for a moment. "Such as?"  
  
"You." The ancient knife blade flashed in the air. The colors in the Spirit pulsed for a moment, although Rayen was not sure if it were in fear, amusement, or mere resignation. He hesitated for a fraction of a second, then plunged the knife through the dragon's pupil etched into the Spirit.  
  
The knife, the only thing in existence that could so much as dent the Spirit, plunged through the crystal like a hot knife through butter. Then bolts of magical electricity surged through the knife and into the young warrior. Pain, unbelievable, unimaginable pain raced through him unchecked. The agony was sheer torture, but Rayen did not cry out, but whether it was for stealth, or out of pure resolve, it was impossible to tell. Finally, he pulled the blade loose. Sweat ran in rivers down his face, and he gagged a couple of times, but the pain faded.  
  
The Spirit emitted a brilliant shine for a moment, then, as the light faded, the mark of the blade was gone. All the damage Rayen had done was undone. "Don't ever do that again."  
  
However, those words were spoken by not one, but two voices. One was the familiar mocking, foreboding tone of the Murderer, but there was another, a voice that was filled with sorrow, yet kind. The Creator. So the other half could speak. The bringer of life must have refrained from talking, either to test the young Dragoon on his resistance to the Murderer's constant prompting or simply not believing it necessary. Rayen slumped, knowing it had been useless, but he had expected that all along. But his actions would make damn sure both entities treated him more seriously from now on. So, in retrospect, it hadn't been a total loss. Not really.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Rayen walked into the congregation room, only to see Phil get up from his seat in relief at his approach, and start to walk towards him. Rayen groaned inwardly. What now? The Jade Dragoon reached the commander of the army; something Rayen couldn't see clutched in his hand. "Yo Rayen, you know that Jade Wingly we sent out teleporting to find the owners for the Spirits we found before?"  
  
"Yeah. What about him?"  
  
"Well, I've got some good news and some bad news. He finally came back today. You'll never guess what he found." He held out his hand, his fingers curling outward to reveal the prize contained within. Pearls were almost always perfectly spherical, but this one had been cut into the faceted circle, like all the other Dragoon Spirits. The odd quality about it was that, unlike most pearls, it seemed to absorb the light cast on it rather than reflect it. Such was the nature of the Divine Dragoon, enigmatic yet seething with power.  
  
Rayen's eyes widened in surprise. "A Divine Dragoon Spirit? But... how?"  
  
"Well, we talked about it. There's only one real possibility. This is the Spirit that belonged to Dart Feld back during the Second Dragon Campaign and the Cleansing."  
  
Rayen felt his hands go numb. They were literally holding a piece of history in their hands. Not just any piece, one that had saved Endiness from total destruction. "OK... so what's the bad news?"  
  
"Well now, this is the part you're just gonna hate. That Wingly teleported over every inch of this damn planet, and nothing from any of the Spirits. Not a glimmer."  
  
Rayen felt like the bottom dropped out of his stomach. "Say what? But how is that possible? All Spirits have to have a destined owner, right?"  
  
Phil shrugged helplessly. "Dude, you've got me on this one. I'm even more clueless than usual."  
  
Rayen punched his fist into his open hand. "Damn. We could sure as hell use another hundred Dragoons right now."  
  
"Tell me about it. Another Divine wouldn't hurt either."  
  
"You're sure he checked everywhere? Even the highlands?"  
  
"Yup. He had a world map and checked every single area. You divided them up into sectors based on the radius in which Spirits detect their owners, right?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Well, he checked every sector, and no dice."  
  
"Damn. Well, I've gotta go with Shade and Oraeus for military planning. See what other information you can get."  
  
"Right."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"We're awaiting your orders, Sire."  
  
"Very well. You know the basic strategy of tomorrow's attack. Bring just enough foot soldiers to keep the army busy, while the boy takes care of the monster."  
  
"Are you sure this is worth it, Lord?"  
  
"Of course. They need public support to gain the affirmation they need to come through the portal, and what could possibly bestow them with more confidence than to see their valiant leader taking on a horrible demonic beast single-handedly? No, this is what's best for the cause."  
  
"But surely one of those is too valuable to throw away like this..."  
  
"Remember, this is the battle that will ultimately seal the fate of these pathetic upstarts. We can afford to sacrifice one of them for that."  
  
"Very well, master. I will dispatch your desire immediately."  
  
"Good."  
  
Author's Note: Yes, I had a plan to bring the second Divine Dragoon Spirit back into the story at this point. Someone simply mentioned it right before I was about to mention it anyway. Yeah. So, what's up with all these ownerless Spirits? What's Mr. Mean and Nasty, as Freefall has so affectionately dubbed him, got in store for Rayen this time? Will Striker ever asking all of these annoying questions? You'll have to read next chapter to find out. Yes, I do love doing that. Mwahahahaha. Yes. OK, I'm done. 


	66. Frozen Foe

Author's Note: Yeah, Rayen is becoming quite bitter and sarcastic, but you have to cut the guy a little slack. He's commanding an army, saving the world, being manipulated by two gods who are constantly fighting over him because he's the key to winning the war, and on top of everything else, he has to come to terms with himself because if he doesn't, everything will blow up in their faces. Besides, Rayen's always been a little sarcastic, if only in his arguments with Phil. But even though he's being manipulated, he's made it clear he doesn't like it. DDX, he tried to destroy the Prism Spirit, but the gods repaired it, because they both need him to tilt the scales in their favor. Oh, and by the way, I'm not gonna send out any emails or IMs or anything like that. If there's anything you want to say, you're gonna have to say it in the review. Security issues and all that.  
  
Yes, Nieva means snow in Spanish. I needed a name, and it seemed appropriate, so I stuck with it.  
  
Chapter 66  
  
The enigmatic master of the demon army looked deep into the magical orb that levitated lazily before his throne. Within its glass depths, the evil lord could see anything he desired, and probably some things he didn't, although he had never reached to that extent of its powers. Now, he was merely keeping studious watch of his enemies. One in particular, to be exact.  
  
"Humans. How tempestuous, how easily broken they are. Already I can sense him feeling the strain. Soon, he will cave under the pressure, and the doom of all life will be sealed."  
  
A shuddering knock came through the enormous door of ebony. The master looked up. "Enter."  
  
The door edged open, and the sniveling face of the messenger popped in. "The troops have been dispatched, master. They are heading towards the portal at this very moment."  
  
"Excellent."  
  
The courier hesitated before speaking again. "Can they win, sire?"  
  
"Win? Of course they can win. I fully intend for them to win. But when they win, it will cement our ultimate victory."  
  
The messenger bobbed his head along with that horrible fanged grin, and left in silence, except for the gentle thud of the door closing behind him.  
  
The shadowy king watched as the boy attempted to shirk his responsibility by destroying the Spirit. Of course, he failed, and received a painful reminder to stay in line. A sneer of contempt crossed the demon's face. He was even closer to falling than he had thought. They would not have to wait much longer.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
As Phil branched off to go learn what he could about the strange ownerless Spirits, Rayen was immediately intercepted by Shade. The Dark Dragoon's face was grim. "They're here."  
  
A spasm of confusion crossed Rayen's face, for his mind was on other things. "What? Who?"  
  
"Well, I wasn't aware we were expecting any guests," Shade remarked dryly.  
  
Rayen swore. "Phil! You're gonna need to deal with that later. The next wave has arrived."  
  
The Jade Dragoon swiveled around. "What, already? It's only been two days."  
  
Rayen shrugged. "I guess they got tired of waiting."  
  
"Damn. All right, maybe you should speak to the rookies before we go."  
  
Rayen turned to his friend, disbelief etched all over him. "What, like a pep talk? What the hell for? This isn't a damn high school football game!"  
  
For the first, and possibly only time in his life, Phil had nothing to say.  
  
Sick disgust flooded through Rayen, and he put his hand to his forehead, sighing deeply. "I'm sorry. I know I've been an ass. But, hell, this isn't easy."  
  
"No one ever said it would be, but that doesn't mean you can sit back and let the enemy win."  
  
Phil and Rayen both looked at him with questioning expressions. The Dark Dragoon shook his head. "No, I don't mean military-wise. We've done fine in that field so far, but what I'm talking about is you. As soon as you break, we're all dead, pure and simple. The fate of the whole planet lasts only as long as you do."  
  
Rayen shrugged again. "Well, whatever. We'll deal with this later."  
  
"Damn straight. Now, if you three are finished, we have a battle to fight."  
  
All three turned to the newcomer. It was Victor Bates, the grizzled forty- year-old Red-Eye Highlander. Victor was hardly a typical Dragoon, if such a thing truly existed. Growing up in the harsh climates of the highlands had made him tough and determined. A lit cigarette smoldered in his mouth, a jagged scar ran beneath his left eye, and his dark brown hair was ruffled and untidy. Possibly the oddest thing about him, however, was his weapon. A highly ornamented handgun was clenched firmly in his crimson-gloved fist, and when he shot the weapon in Dragoon form, it was not a bullet, but a speeding bolt of flame that flew from the chamber. Although most Dragoon Spirits had bestowed their candidates with older, more traditional weapons, swords, polearms, bows, and the like, the Dragon who rested inside Victor's ruby did not appear to go by conventional means. Because he required no training with his gun, except the occasional target practice to maintain his aim, he focused his studies entirely on magic, and had become quite formidable with the skill indeed. He was highly respected for his skills, and a valuable asset to the team. If only he were slightly easier to work with.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, we're going."  
  
Rayen, Shade, and Phil all headed to the snowy fields of Deningrad, where the black tide was slowly pouring forth from the gateway in the sky. Rayen peered at it. "Seems like an awfully small surprise attack."  
  
Shade nodded grimly. "My thoughts exactly."  
  
Phil agreed. "Yeah, but remember, the last time they had a small group on a sneak attack..."  
  
His voice trailed off. Rayen gripped his Spirit unconsciously. They all knew what had happened. Rayen sighed, and spoke again. "Yeah, but it's not that small. This just seems small to what we've been fighting lately, the other group was so small it was suicidal."  
  
Which, in retrospect, it actually was. The entire purpose of that attack to release the Apocalypse Dragoon, to inform Rayen of its existence, and unnerve him as he tried to avoid releasing it again. So far, one would say it was working.  
  
Shade folded his arms. "Still, something doesn't seem right."  
  
"It doesn't matter. We need to get rid of them anyway. Let's go."  
  
The trio transformed simultaneously, and kicked off the crystal parapet, heading for the cloud of wings below them, where the rest of the Dragoons were already headed towards battle. The flying mass of red, green, blue, violet, black, silver, and gold moved as one, unified in times of danger. The sight moved something within Rayen, and he watched Phil and Shade accelerated to join the others. Rayen stayed behind, although he wasn't exactly sure why. But he had learned to stop questioning his instincts.  
  
The distance shrunk, and suddenly, several Dragoons in the front let loose. Beams of crackling fire and sizzling light cut through the air like a knife, connecting with the enemy in showers of sparks and deafening explosions. Weapons that weren't already drawn were unsheathed, and the sun glinted off of the shimmering waves of steel. Then, the two divisions collided, and the fight began.  
  
Eclipse's two blades spun through the onyx gauntlets that encased his hands in protective metal with a grace that seemed almost mechanical in its fluidity. His left hand tightened, halting the sword's motion, and he drove it through the chest of a nearby demon, his other blade streaming down to lop off its head. Turning to a new target, he swung the same sword methodically, slicing of an arm, and his right arm curled inward, only to lash out again as he drove the serrated weapon through the creature's forehead, finishing it off. Although the transfer of Shade's memories to his own mind had taught the Dark Dragoon compassion, he felt no pity for these monsters he felled in battle. They were heartless machinations, as he had once been, and he knew it was a tortured existence, one he was more than happy to free them off.  
  
A tiny bolt of fire punched its way through a shadowy body, and the demon let out a shriek of pain. Victor squeezed the trigger another time, making sure the thing was dead before raising his handgun back to the enemy lines. He fired off several more blasts in rapid succession, each finding its own mark. In Dragoon form, his gun did not require reloading, the blazing projectiles produced from the magic imbued in the weapon by the transformation, so he sent bullets flying into the crowd almost haphazardly, but all of them found a target, because of the Highlander's exceptional aim.  
  
Both anxiety and the rush of battle caused Victor to grit his teeth, forgetting that his cigarette was still in his mouth. As the bitter taste of tobacco fouled his tongue, he swore in his native language and spat it out in irritation. He focused his energies into the chamber of his weapon. A red glow slowly seeped from the barrel, and his finger pushed the trigger back, releasing a gout of flame that blew a sizeable hole through the stomach of the nearest foe and kept going, taking out about half a dozen others before it faded into smoke. Bates snarled as he risked a glance back at Rayen, who remained behind, watching the warriors from afar. What the hell was he just sitting around for?  
  
Rayen was actually in the process of wondering that himself when they all found out. A rocking tremor shook the earth. That in itself was ominous enough, for the last time such a quake had come to Deningrad, the Shadow Virage had pulled itself from the portal. But nothing could have prepared them for what came this time. Rayen had suspected all along that this would happen eventually, but he had never foreseen it like this.  
  
A gigantic head pulled itself through the portal, eyes gleaming down on the pathetic insects that cowered before it. Row upon row of countless wickedly sharp teeth sat in a jaw that looked powerful enough to crush an elephant into a helpless bleeding mass if it so desired. Crests sprouted in a strange fringe around the neck, dancing and waving in the wind. The body followed, long, sinuous, and with deadly serpentine grace. Finally the spiked tail of the beast floated through the gateway, and the behemoth curled its snake-like body into an enormous coil, a grin filled with malevolence across its reptilian face.  
  
It was undoubtedly a Sea Dragon, corrupted and blackened by the rage within its living counterpart's heart. Rayen knew they would come across Dragons eventually, and he had seen full-grown Dragons before, but this was different. This thing was pure awe-inspiring terror incarnate, perverted by evil and turned into a vicious killing monster. The others would be forced to deal with the remaining demons; he would have to do this alone. This was why the group was so small, to keep the others busy while he fought this atrocity. Rayen's hand clutched Birathion's platinum hilt, determined not to lose hope.  
  
But he couldn't help wondering, as he watched the titanic Dragon before him, how the hell could someone fight something like this?  
  
Author's Note: I was planning on putting the Dragon fight into this chapter, but it was already pretty long (by my standards, of course) by the time I got there, so I decided to put it off until next chapter. Because I love leaving you people in suspense, and watching as you squirm and writhe for the next update! *laughs maniacally*  
  
*cough* Yes, well, enough of that. In case you're wondering, Victor is indeed the first of the major rookie characters. I like him, 'cause he's got that gruff, cigarette-smoking, I-don't-take-crap-from-anyone, Cid Highwind type attitude. But I had one hell of a time naming him. My dad wanted to name him Elvis or Bubba. *sigh* I don't know why I even bothered coming to him. But he did come up with Dawn's name, so... *realizes he's rambling again* Sorry. Review and I'll shut up. 


	67. Dance of the Spark

Author's Note: I don't know, Bubba seemed a little too tacky. You know, the name Bubba puts me in mind of a fat old semi truck driver. Not the kind of person I wanted Victor to be. DDX, I believe I mentioned this, but no, Victor never needs to reload. How it works is, when Victor transforms, the magic that makes his armor also transforms his weapon, like all other Dragoons. But his is a little different. You see, the magic imbued in his weapon to make it all Dragoon-y and whatnot also supplies all of the ammunition. Kinda nifty, if I do say so myself.  
  
Anyway, about reviews changing the outcome of the story, that's not really true. You see, yes, I did speed up the reappearance of the Dragon Block Staff because of a review, but I was going to put it back in anyway, it was just a matter of a few chapters earlier than I had originally intended. The Divine Dragoon Spirit came in at the exact same time as I had intended, that wasn't affected by reviews at all. Occasionally I'll slip a little description in a chapter to clear up a reader's question, but there are no major alterations to the course of the story. The thing about my writing is that it's very flexible. I know the major events I want to work in, it's linking them together that's the fun part.  
  
The demons sit on their hands for several days between attacks on purpose, partly for strategical planning and partly because they just want to make the pathetic humans squirm. But no, they'll probably leave Rayen's dad alone. Although it probably would shove Rayen even closer to the brink, it would take his attention away to something besides the war, and they don't want that. They need him focused solely on the war and nothing else.  
  
OK, all of this chapter will be told from Rayen's POV. Why? Because one, it's easier for me to write big battle scenes from a 1st person perspective, two, because I think some of you need a deeper look into Rayen (no, not because of reviews, just on principle), and three, because I want to. K? Good.  
  
Chapter 67  
  
My breath came out in a lengthy exhale as the coiled Dragon watched me with cruel anticipation, waiting for me to come towards my own demise. I drew Birathion from the ornate sheath that was strapped securely to my back between my wings. I spun the sword through my fingers and tossed once into the air, watching the sun glint off the blade. For some reason, the sunlight seemed pale and without warmth that day, but whether it was just because it was behind a thick gray curtain of winter clouds or if it was a symbol of ominous portents, I couldn't say. I reached up and seized hold of the two intertwined platinum dragons that made up the Protector's decorative hilt, trying to keep my mind on the fight ahead, or the events that would inevitably transpire afterwards, or anything besides the growing sense of terror churning in my gut at the sight of that ravenous behemoth.  
  
Finally, when I had quelled the stirrings within myself, I pushed off the ground, the snow making one final protesting crunch beneath my heavy boots before I was fully in the air, my wings beating rhythmically at my sides. Predictably, the Dragon struck, lunging forward to swallow me whole. I rolled to the right, then thrusted towards the sleek, black, scaled body of the demonized Dragon. The coil merely moved beyond my reach, and my sword's tip passed through empty frigid air. The Dragon lunged again, mouth open wide, but I folded my wings and let gravity take me below the strike, and prepared to send my blade through the creature's neck. However, at that moment my attention was diverted by a thing I had forgotten in my rush to end this battle.  
  
The Dragon's five-spiked tail streaked towards me, and I was forced to cancel my earlier planned blow in order to avoid getting skewered. I wedged Birathion between two of the prongs, and turned the tail aside. Of course, this gave the Dragon a chance to recover and prepare to attack again. Glistening teeth came for me again with a primal hunger to rend my flesh, but again, my small form was able to slip away from the titan's gaping jaws. The Dragon did not strike again with its tail, it would have been far too obvious and easy to avoid or block. Instead, it used its body as a weapon against me, slamming one of the massive coils into my midsection, knocking the wind from my lungs and flinging me back.  
  
I flared my wings, bracing them against the wind and allowing the air resistance to slow my unexpected flight. That hit hadn't hurt much, but I knew that if I didn't get something going very soon things would start rapidly plunging downhill. A blazing orb of flame formed in my palm, and I hurled it at the Dragon, the crackling fire giving my fingertips a brief tingling sensation as the ball left my hand. The projectile detonated against the back of the Dragon's skull, and the monster hissed and turned about, increasing its likeness to a gigantic serpent. It would take a lot more than that to kill this thing, but it was a start.  
  
I was tired of letting the Dragon come to me. I dove, the sword held high above my head, ready to drive it through whatever part of the hulking beast I could get a hold of. But the massive serpentine body rippled away from my grasp, as if I was the wrong pole of a magnet. Try as I might, which I did, weaving and spiraling through the air, I was unable to find a target that remained within my reach. My attempt to gain early leverage was interrupted as the spiked tail came slicing through the air once more, and I had to duck to keep from having my head taken off.  
  
This was not working well, I knew. The Dragon could keep going at this rate for as long as it wanted, but I could not. I needed to gain the upper hand, and the faster the better. Magic, of course, was the way to go to achieve such an objective. What would work well against a Sea Dragon? Fire, obviously, but I needed more than one element to deliver a firm punch to this thing.  
  
I was still racking my brain when the coils that seemed magnetically repelled by me suddenly changed their minds. They shot towards me with surprising speed, until I was trapped in a constricting hold. As the Dragon started to squeeze, trying to either snap me in half or suffocate me, whichever came first, my mind raced frantically. My sword arm was pinned to my side, so that idea was out. Think, damn it, think! Lightning! Everyone knows electricity and water don't mix, right?  
  
I sent a surge of lightning through the Dragon's serpentine body, which caused a protesting roar of pain and a subsequent release on the hold as the monster appeared to have thought better of trying to crush me. Satisfaction flooded my being, giving me a much needed boost. I had my twin weapons now, flame and thunder. Not a pair one would normally conjure up, but they would work well enough, at least against this particular foe. I nurtured the violet and crimson streaks on my armor, until they eagerly consumed the others in their constant contest for strength, and stood ready for my command. I was more than happy to oblige.  
  
"The tiniest spark can transform into something beyond control, as fire and lightning blend together in an eternal dance from which there is no escape. Inferno Storm."  
  
Fire and thunder crackled about me, and I focused their power, turning to my draconic adversary. The Dragon was certainly a big enough target. I wouldn't miss. I channeled the flame to one hand, the electricity to the other, until my hands pulsed with a radience that lit up the sky far better than the weak sun. I was ready. Time to hit hard and fast.  
  
A wildfire can consume a forest in a matter of hours, while lightning bolts are there and gone in an instant. Both fire and thunder moved with incredible speed, and I appeared to have gained that attribute as well. All I know is that I was suddenly able to move very, very fast. It was impossible to tell whether that was an effect of the spell or the adrenaline pumping through my veins, but it didn't really matter. I was hardly complaining.  
  
I let loose a bolt of fire, which made contact right against the Dragon's skull. Although the pyrotechnics were undeniably impressive, it didn't appear to share my enthusiasm. A hiss of pain accompanied the sharp tail seeking to impale me, but I was gone long before it reached where I had been. Just to teach it a lesson, I decided to send a jolt through the tail that had given me such difficulty. Which I did, with great aplomb.  
  
The Dragon writhed in agony at the force of the two blows, and lunged again. I swerved away from the head and fired off another blazing shot. I repeated the process several times, dodging the Dragon's blow and punishing the offending body part. After a while, the beast appeared to wise up, and it waited for me to make a move before attempting to attack. Just to spite it, I brought both of my hands together, pooling the remaining energy, and released it in a single enormous arrow of flame with lightning shooting around the edges. The Dragon was too large and disoriented to hope to avoid it, and the resulting explosion shook the area and jarred some snow loose from the nearby mountains, which cascaded around the slopes.  
  
The Dragon lay on the earth, twitching sporatically. The magic that clouded my hands died, and I drew my sword again, slicing it through the air a couple of times in triumph. That was far easier than I had expected. I was about to turn to leave when my battle sense picked up movement out of the corner of my eye. The tail! The Dragon was still alive! I ducked beneath the thorns yet again, just as the head reared up, its face alight with malevolent amusement.  
  
Now that it had the advantage of surprise the Dragon decided to use magic of its own. It exhaled a cloying cloud of frost that sped for me, obviously hoping to freeze me solid. I powered to the left as fast as I could, and it hit a glancing blow on my right arm. However, the force of the magic took Birathion from my hand, where it was thrown to the ground, encased in a thick chunk of ice. I rubbed my frost-rimmed right arm, assessing the situation.  
  
My sword was unusable, and using the physical or magical energy to free it could prove fatal. I had used up a great deal of my magic on the last spell, and I was unsure of how much I had left. My transformation still had a fair amount of time left on it, but if I was sapped of everything else, what good would that do? The Dragon was weakened for sure, but still very much alive. My hope dimmed, and reality surfaced.  
  
"Oh yeah... I'm royally screwed right about now."  
  
Author's Note: Yes, it's the fight so special it stretches out for two chapters. Aren't you a bunch of lucky people. Yes, I know it was late for the third time in a row, but I have been really busy lately. Anyway, if any of you care, I am going to try to get Chapter 4 of Crimson Wings up before Chapter 68, so I promise you won't have to wait much longer for that. Joy. 


	68. The New Buster

Author's Note: Eeeexcellent. I have converted Freefall to... THE CAUSE. *thunder crashes, lightning strikes* O_o Yeah. Ignore me.  
  
The other Dragoons are a bit busy handling the other demons and whatnot. Once they are done fighting there they can help him, but if he gets chomped before then that kind of sucks for everybody.  
  
This is still Rayen's P.O.V., and will remain so until I specify otherwise.  
  
Chapter 68  
  
Just when I thought all hope seemed lost, something hit me. You know the feeling when you realize something so incredibly obvious you feel like stopping whatever you're doing and go bang your head against the wall for a few minutes? Yeah, I was getting one of those.  
  
"I... am such an idiot."  
  
The Dragon Buster. I had kept it after Sean had given it to me during the fight with the Divine Dragon. I hadn't asked him where he got it. I figured he wouldn't know himself, and I didn't want to jinx whatever magnificent force of luck we had on our side. I had taken it for granted, keeping it with me more as a source of comfort than anything else, a lot like the gem of the Dragon Block Staff. I was weird like that. However, this time it might actually help. Surprise, surprise.  
  
Because the Guardian Dragoon armor didn't have any pockets, the Dragon's skull was always shifted to my belt. There it hung on the steel clip, plain as day. I sighed, berating myself for my own ineptitude as I undid the clasp. I slipped it onto my right hand, grasping the magical handle that would cause the blade to appear. The pale yellow blade appeared as usual, or at least at first.  
  
But then the Dragon Buster began to change. The sickly yellow blade turned to a shimmering azure, as blue as the sky above, had it not been covered by an oppressive blanket of midwinter clouds. Then, I watched in horror as the Dragon skull began to disintegrate in my hand! As the dust slipped through my fingers, I let go of the weapon in surprise. There was a clatter, and I looked down. The blade had somehow managed to separate itself from the skull, and sat on the ground, now sporting an intricate hilt of silver carved with symbols I recognized as the Wingly language. I picked it up, looking it over. I could decipher some of the characters inscribed on the new weapon, but among the unfamiliar ones it all came out as garbled nonsense. My study of the Wingly language was cut short when I was forced to skip school, and I doubted even Kyra would be able to recognize some of these symbols. They looked that old.  
  
Well, I can honestly say I have no idea what happened to it, but I formulated my best guess. The magic of the Guardian Dragoon must have affected the ancient weapon, and had taken the blade from the skull in the process. The skull, having been released from the preserving Wingly magic, had succumbed to the workings of time, crumbling into powder. I had no idea what difference the Creator thought it would make, but it didn't bother me much. Whatever floated his boat.  
  
I picked up the new and improved Dragon Buster and swung it a few times, testing its weight and its balance. A bit lighter than Birathion, but not bad. I turned to the Dragon, who appeared to have finally recovered from my last spell. The cloud of frost had been a lucky shot, I knew. It had been firing blind, disoriented but caught up in its advantage of surprise, not wanting to let it slip away.  
  
As it lunged, I raised my new weapon in defense. The effect was instantaneous and almost comical. The Dragon's malicious eyes widened in stark terror, and it stopped and backed up so quickly I could have sworn it got tangled up in its own coils. It obviously knew what the Dragon Buster was and had no particular desire to fall into its deadly trap. But it made little difference. One way or another, I would kill this godforsaken thing.  
  
I dove, making sure the flaming blade of the Dragon Buster was in plain sight. Of course, the Dragon withdrew, always keeping its distance. This wouldn't work if I couldn't get close enough to the monster to kill it. I needed a plan, or I would just run out of Spirit energy. I only needed one hit and let the Dragon Buster do its work, but how to get that blow in was the problem.  
  
As I hovered slowly in the air, I got a sudden burst of inspiration. I darted in towards the head, then once it backed up, I banked sharply to the right, the Dragon Buster plunging through the air. I heard a piercing shriek of pain, and I withdrew the ancient sword to discover it shining with blood, but when I looked up, the Dragon was still alive, but it was bleeding profusely from its tail section. I glanced to the snowy earth below, to find a patch soaked with red, where the maimed stump of the tail lay. Damn, I needed to leave the blade in the wound in order for the magic to take hold. This would be more difficult than I had thought.  
  
By this time, I noticed an acute pain in my back. My wings were aching. Just like any other appendage, they got tired after constant motion. After spending too much time getting too little accomplished, I was beginning to wear down. I needed to finish this fast. But first I had to return to the ground. I could fight the battle on my legs just as easily, and it would give my wings time to recuperate, if such time was even needed.  
  
As I glided to the earth below, the Dragon decided to play yet another underhanded trick. Positioning its head nearly level with the ground, it breathed a plume of ice that coated the snow below. My metal boots could gain no traction on the slick surface, and I slipped, falling onto my back. The metal grated on the ice, which caused a shower of sparks to cascade around me, contrasting eerily with the bleak surroundings. But then I slammed into something, sending pain shooting through my back. I heard a loud cracking noise, and I could only hope my wings hadn't broken.  
  
But then I heard a shattering sound, and I gazed back just to see what the hell was going on. My wings were undamaged, but more importantly, I had accidentally rammed into the glacier the Dragon had made earlier. Even more crucial, Birathion lay among the shards of ice. I wasted no time, scooping it up and grabbing the Dragon Buster from where I had dropped it when I had fallen. With both blades in hand, I soared back into the air. Searing pain shot through my back, but it would get no better anyway. Best to get this over with as quickly as possible anyway. The ruby and emerald streaks grew as I summoned what little remained of my magic.  
  
"Trails of flame burn behind the gleaming swords, their legacy left only in their destruction. Twin Blade Tornado."  
  
Both Birathion and the Dragon Buster began to blaze, the Protector with a crimson light, the Dragon Buster merely intensifying its own eerie blue flames. I began to spin them in a complex pattern I had no idea I even knew. My own eyes lost track of the movement, so I resolved not to attempt to follow them and focus on the titan who would eventually bear the brunt of this assault. Winds whipped around me, and my wings ached no longer. The gale would assist me in all the flying this spell would require.  
  
I shot forward like one of Victor's bullets, slicing and thrusting with speed that surprised even me. But there was something wrong. Every time I moved in with a blow, the blade stopped short, not penetrating skin. Too late, I realized what had been done. The Dragon had anticipated what the spell would do and erected a physical shield to stop the Dragon Buster from finishing it off. It was suffering slightly from the magic that burst whenever the sword came in contact with the shield, but nothing more. If I didn't figure out something fast, what was left of my magic would be totally wasted.  
  
I pulled back, hoping the Dragon would take the bait. It rose to the occasion, hoping to catch me off guard as it spat out a jet of pressurized water. This was the opportunity I had been waiting for. I spun to the left and dove. I smiled as the Dragon's fate began to dawn on it. It was too late to escape.  
  
Jackpot.  
  
The ancient Wingly blade pierced right between the Dragon's eyes, sinking neatly through the skull. I did not have long to wait. The Dragon shuddered once, then fell limp. On a whim, I sliced open the Dragon's left eye, and a glittering sapphire stumbled into my palm. I lifted it up to the light, wondering if it was an indication that these things still had some sort of a soul, or just an annoying quirk the Murderer was unable to get rid of.  
  
Shade walked slowly towards me, his own armor fading. As he put his own Spirit away, he lifted two others, a Red-Eye and a Dark. The first casualties of the war. In an army that could not be more than three hundred, we could not afford to lose any more than was absolutely necessary. The Spirits would move on, but we could not spend time hunting across the planet for the owners. We didn't have that particular liberty.  
  
I sighed heavily. Shade looked at me. "Are you going to do it anyway?"  
  
"Yes. We can't keep sitting here like this. It won't win us this war."  
  
"It will be different once we get to the other side. Here it's easy. There you'll have to factor in food, logistics, terrain..."  
  
"I know, I know. I've thought about this as much as you have. What do you think?"  
  
Shade shook his head. "I think what I've always thought. I've supported this from the beginning. If this was my army, we'd be on the other side already, populace be damned. But I'm not the commander of this army. You are."  
  
"Yeah." I sighed. "I'll make the announcement first thing tomorrow. They won't need any more provocation than this."  
  
"And so the second stage begins."  
  
"Indeed it does."  
  
Author's Note: Thanks for that, Shade. I was thinking the same thing, although when I looked back, my comment was more along the lines of, "Damn, what total and absolute crap I was writing back then." Yeah, so I'm a little pessimistic. Sue me. 


	69. The Other Side

Author's Note: Actually, Demon, he doesn't combine the blades. He uses them both seperately. Yeah. O_o For once, I don't have any questions to answer. Which means you people don't have to read 200 words of mindless blather. You should feel privledged.  
  
Chapter 69  
  
Rayen stood in the snowy fields of Millie Seaseu, oblivious to the winter chill. He gazed up into the winter sky; his azure eyes fixed on a single point. The portal hung there, same as it always was, with the lightning crackling and dancing along its edges. It had been there for two weeks now, Rayen almost thought of it as part of the sky by this time. He had considered what they were about to do for a long time now, almost as soon as the portal had opened. But now, actually doing it, it seemed almost unreal.  
  
The support had been overwhelming, so much so that it surprised even Rayen. It hadn't even dimmed in the slightest when the first two casualties were announced. Rayen supposed that they believed that if they had made it this far with only two dead, then they could easily win the war. They were fooling themselves, and Rayen knew it. Things would be different on enemy ground. Their foes would have the home turf. Two was far too many to lose when your army numbered little more than three hundred. If they lost enough, they would have to retreat back through the portal and find new owners for the Spirits, which would leave the enemy with a golden opportunity to come rushing through the gateway and finish the last of the planet's hope off for good. No, the leader of the Dragoons was far less optimistic than the people who rallied behind him.  
  
A voice sounded from behind him. "You ready for this?"  
  
It was Phil, looking more somber than Rayen had ever seen him, even more so than at his mother's funeral two years ago... or would it be three now? In the rush of everything, Rayen had stopped keeping track of the date. With a sudden jolt of a sort of melancholy amusement, Rayen realized he would be turning eighteen within a couple of months. It all seemed so trivial compared to what he was facing now. He sighed. "As I'll ever be, I suppose."  
  
"A wise answer. No one can truly be prepared for the unknown." The deep rumbling baritone signaled the presence of Oraeus beside them.  
  
"Somehow, that doesn't comfort me much."  
  
Shade's voice caused all three to jump slightly. The Dark Dragoon had approached silently, as usual. "There's no turning back anyway. Any discomfort you have, you're going to have to deal with."  
  
Rayen smiled, if for no reason other than to spite himself. Good old Shade. There was nothing like a bit of the Darkness Dragon Knight's blunt cynicism to boost spirits. He turned around to see the shining saviors of Endiness moving towards them. They didn't look nearly as glamorous in this scenario. They were merely a swarm of people trudging through the snow, and the only thing that betrayed their abnormality were the seven Dragons at the rear, laden down with supplies. They all reached the clearing where Rayen stood, and there was suddenly a dazzling light display with a myriad of colors, including red, green, black, white, violet, gold, blue, and a single streak of gray. Then the collective Dragoons took wing, soaring through the gateway into the unexpected.  
  
However, there was a single person among the group who was not a Dragoon. Artaeris sat astride Jineraq, hitching a ride on the Golden Dragon because he couldn't fly. This fact ate at the young half-Giganto. He had tried all of the ownerless Spirits, even the two that had belonged to the first warriors to die in battle, but he had not gotten a sudden stroke of luck. Not one of the Spirits had so much as glinted at his touch.  
  
The sheer frustration made Artaeris want to bellow. He considered himself riding on the Dragon because he was part of the luggage, a necessary burden that had to be dealt with. He was riding on his father's Dragon because it was only because of Oraeus that he was here at all. He had considered giving up and going home several times, but he did not. He had no real home to go back to, and besides, Artaeris still got a strange feeling that he was supposed to be here, although he had no idea where that instinct came from. So he remained, continuing to feel out of place among the Dragon Knights.  
  
Rayen tensed as he passed through the portal, but there was no agonizing shock or anything of that sort. When he looked up, he suddenly became very confused. At first, he thought their foes had managed to do something to the gateway. They must have come out somewhere in Endiness, because this certainly wasn't the demons' world. Or was it?  
  
They had arrived in a landscape that reminded Rayen strongly of the scene they had just left. A snowfield stretched out before them, except for a large evergreen forest to the west. The only anomaly was in the sky, in the form of hulking purple diamonds that hung in the sky. Occasionally a thunderbolt would burst from one, bouncing off the others in a succession of brilliant flashes. Like Endiness, it appeared to be winter, with the slightest hint of spring peeping forth from the cover of ice. He looked back, but his companions had no more answers than he did. Phil merely shook his head and shrugged, while Shade's eyes wore a bemused look. Oraeus spoke, but it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than anyone else. "It looks as though the Murderer merely picked a world to build his army in."  
  
Rayen's uncertainty was further increased when he saw a flock of geese fly by in arrowhead formation, squawking and honking noisily at each other. This just didn't make sense. The Murderer was waging this war to eradicate all life, why build his army on a world with snow and trees and BIRDS, for Soa's sake? A brief suspicion flashed through the Guardian Dragoon's mind. Perhaps this was all just one giant mind game, a deception to keep them off guard. But why go through all this trouble?  
  
However, something slightly more pressing diverted their attention. There was a loud rumble, and all of the Dragoons turned around. The portal was shrinking, right before their eyes. Some rushed forward to attempt to stop it, but as Rayen watched in dismay, he knew it was useless. The enemy had played yet another underhanded trick, but this one, unlike the others, presented a serious problem. If there was animal life here, food could be hunted for, but what about finding new Dragoons for the Spirits of the deceased? Those reinforcements wouldn't appear out of thin air.  
  
The army collectively turned to him, waiting for his orders, something Rayen seriously didn't want to deal with at this particular moment. He buried his face in his hand and sighed deeply. "Well, cut off or not, we need to keep moving. This means we need a suitable place to camp even more."  
  
There were nods of assent from the crowd, and the warriors resumed their slow trek across the snow. When they reached the top of the hill and looked down, however, they all stopped dead. The hills gradually faded into a small valley, but what sat in the center was the most unnerving. A gaggle of houses sat nestled in the snow, smoke curling from the brick chimney. Houses, here? Things kept getting more bizarre by the moment.  
  
The Dragoons all whipped around in a single collective mass when they heard a voice.  
  
"Um, excuse me? Hello there, who are you?"  
  
Standing there, in living color with a politely puzzled expression on his face, was a young Human.  
  
Author's Note: Yep, things just keep getting weirder and weirder. Mwaha. 


	70. Abrian

Author's Note: Well, 69 chapters (70 now) doesn't really say much, considering that my chapters are extremely short, but this chapter does put me over the 100,000 word mark, and last time I checked, there are only two other stories to make that distinction. That makes me number three, which is pretty cool. My dad calls this my novel as well, but I don't really consider it that, because nobody besides ff.net would ever publish it, so I kind of just think of it as a story. I may send in Crimson Wings to Sony, however, just to laugh at them and show them what a crappy job they did of translating the game into English, because it'll probably be almost as long as this when I'm done with it. Speaking of which, I have no idea where one could find a script for the game, but whenever I'm writing a chapter of Crimson Wings, I just pull up a walkthrough of the game online. They have the basic events and the summaries of what the characters talk about, and besides, because of aforementioned horrible translation, I wouldn't want to use the actual wordage anyway. That's about the best advice I can give you.  
  
Artaeris as the new Divine Dragoon? That's an interesting idea, Aer, but remember, they already have Dart's former Spirit, and it didn't show reaction to Artaeris. But then again, Kyra's Spirit didn't react to her when she first stole it, because she altered her own destiny by joining the good guys. So you never know. Regrem, the idea is cool, but the idea of a gem from a Wingly artifact designed to DRAIN the power of Dragons turning into a Dragoon Spirit doesn't really make that much sense. Besides, the thing about the Prism Spirit is that it's supposed to be the last resort to restore the balance, but if Rayen swings to the wrong side, it will end up destroying the world instead. Does that make sense?  
  
Chapter 70  
  
Mr. O'Connor got off the mass transit train that delivered him daily to Lohan. He snatched a newspaper from a nearby stand, and unfurled it, his eyes darting over the lines of black type grimly. He folded it back up, shoved it in his briefcase, and resumed his march down the dreary streets of the huge commercial metropolis. The headlines were all the same, of course. Upon the Dragoons' entrance, the portal had mysteriously disappeared. Nobody could explain why, but naturally rumors clouded like swarms of insects.  
  
Optimists maintained that it was a normal strategic maneuver, so that the enemy couldn't slip behind them and attack their dimension unprotected. Those with a slightly more morbid view insisted that their foes had sealed off the portal, and were now in the process of wiping out their last hope in one gigantic stroke. Then there were those in the middle, so bewildered by the whole thing they didn't know what to think. Despite knowing slightly more about the situation than most people, Joseph O'Connor classified himself in the latter group. The whole incident baffled him.  
  
Closing the portal seemed like a sound enough decision in theory, but he couldn't see the common sense in it. Keeping your enemy out of your territory was all well and good enough, but why cut yourself off from the only place you could get supplies? Food didn't just materialize out of thin air, not even for Dragoons, and Mr. O'Connor seriously doubted they would find any in whatever dimension a horde of demons decided to make their home in. He was no general, but he did know his son, and he knew this was not like Rayen at all. Rayen was cautious; he liked to keep all his options open if he could. Unless others that he trusted convinced him, Rayen would not do something so rash. The more Joseph O'Connor thought about the situation, the more uneasy he got.  
  
But he shoved these to the back of his mind. Worrying about his son wouldn't help Rayen anyway, and all it did was depress him. He reached his building and took the elevator up to the ninth floor. As he reached his cubicle, he sat down in his office chair and took the newspaper he had picked up back out of his briefcase. He flipped to the business section, only to be greeted by another predictable headline. Yet another article gushing over the successes of the BOA Corporation.  
  
Consumer confidence was in the gutter, but the BOA Corp had managed to do what everyone in the business world could only dream of, and would gladly sell their souls to accomplish. After wallowing in a major slump and practically going under, it had gotten a sudden burst of Soa-knows-what and was now reporting its best profits in years. Joseph O'Connor didn't bother to suppress his own jealousy. A round of layoffs was coming, and he could only hope to duck under the ax. Being out of work was the last thing he needed right now.  
  
He suddenly folded the newspaper, tossed it out of sight, and buried his face in his hands. He couldn't stop thinking about his son. With his wife dead, Rayen was all he had left. But now he was in command of an army of legendary heroes, off in another dimension fighting an army of demons bent on the destruction of all life. It was insane, and yet it was happening, and there was nothing the elder O'Connor could do to avoid it. He kept himself he was unable to do anything anyway, but that didn't mean he had to like it.  
  
But worrying about it wouldn't make it better, as he had tried to convince himself earlier. Heaving a deep sigh, he swiveled around in the chair, booted up the computer at his desk, and started work.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Once he got over the shock of seeing a human in what was supposed to be a lifeless world, Rayen examined this newcomer. He was young, about his age, give or take a year or two. He was dressed in simple clothing, which indicated that this dimension had not yet progressed beyond medieval technology. He was about medium height, and very thin, as though he were undernourished. He had sandy blonde hair and green eyes glowing with an inner intelligence. He appeared to be studying the group much in the same way they were studying him.  
  
He repeated the question. "Who are you?"  
  
Rayen vaguely gestured to where the portal had been.  
  
"Ah, you've come to fight the demons."  
  
"Yes. Now..."  
  
The boy interrupted before Rayen could finish his sentence. "Who am I? My name is Abrian."  
  
"How many humans live here?"  
  
"Plenty."  
  
"But don't the demons try to kill you off?"  
  
"No, I guess they need somebody to do all their hard labor while they're throwing themselves through the portal at you."  
  
"So you're slaves?"  
  
Abrian nodded. "More or less. They leave us alone if we do our work."  
  
"But there are revolts, right?"  
  
"Oh, sure. All the time. But there's so many of the goddamn things it never makes much difference."  
  
"Yeah, I know that feeling. So what are those big diamonds up there?"  
  
Abrian looked to the sky just as a lightning bolt bounced off the diamonds in a dazzling sequence, like a pinball rebounding off bumpers. "Oh, those. This may sound weird, but I don't know. Nobody does. They've been there since before I was born. They appeared about the same time as the demons."  
  
"Speaking of which, where did they come from?"  
  
Abrian shrugged. "We don't know. From what little written records we have, they apparently just appeared out of nowhere about a thousand years ago."  
  
That date coincided with the end of the Second Dragoon Campaign, and when the Murderer had supposedly begun to construct his dread army with the purpose of destroying all life. But if there were multiple dimensions, did that mean that the war was being fought in other worlds as well? The scale of such a battle was too all encompassing for Rayen to comprehend. Better to keep his mind on Endiness, at least for now.  
  
He turned to Shade, giving him a questioning look. The Dark Dragoon nodded, his brown eyes filled with a bemused expression. So Shade believed Abrian's story. Rayen did also. The most convincing part was the vagueness, as strange as that might sound. The enemy would at least attempt to lie convincingly, instead of just shrugging it off.  
  
"Hey, guys? You might want to check this out."  
  
Phil held the bag of ownerless Spirits, which they had taken with them on a whim. In his other hand he clutched a Silver Spirit, which was pulsing with a clear radiance. All eyes simultaneously turned to Abrian, who stared back at the group, with the same puzzled expression on his face that he had worn when he had first seen the warriors.  
  
Rayen felt himself flooded with relief, joy, and a sort of crazed amusement, all at once. The humans here could become Dragoons! What an incredible stroke of luck! This would nearly double the size of their army, not to mention the second Divine Dragoon. Rayen no longer cared about finding food for the soldiers, or suitable places to camp, or even the portal closing. The goddamn portal could go to hell for all he cared. They didn't even need to go back to Endiness anymore. All the replacements for the fallen could be found on this side anyway.  
  
Rayen forced himself to remain calm as he addressed Abrian again. "Abrian, have you ever heard of Dragoons?"  
  
Abrian shook his head. "We've heard some of the big demons called Dragons, but not Dragoons. Is that the same thing?"  
  
"Sort of. See, Dragoons are humans who control the power of Dragons."  
  
Abrian could clearly deduce where this was going. "That's what you people are, right?"  
  
"What we are," Rayen corrected as he tossed the Silver Spirit to him.  
  
As Abrian caught the Spirit, a column of silver light descended on him, and when it dissipated, he was clad in the armor of the Light Dragoon. With another flash of light, he held a sword in his hand. The blade of the weapon was chased with silver, so that it did not reflect the sun, but absorbed it, until the sword seemed to glow with its own inner light. The golden hilt's crosspieces were curved backwards, so that they were not only acted as a brace for his grip, but also provided a guard for his fingers should someone decide to chop them off. Abrian looked down at himself, then back up at Rayen and the others.  
  
Rayen grinned and pulled out his own Spirit, which gave off its usual swirling tempest of colors. The others gradually followed suit, until the sky was bright with the Spirits' responses to the new Dragoon. Abrian stared with a sort of mix between amazement and numb disbelief.  
  
"Wow."  
  
Rayen smiled as he stowed the Spirit away in his pocket. "Yeah, that was more or less my reaction. Welcome to the club. Now, would you mind taking us to the village, or wherever we can find Humans? There are a lot more like you out there, and we've got plenty of Spirits to go around."  
  
As Abrian marched down the hill, motioning for the others to follow, Rayen reached into the sack and pulled out the Divine Dragoon Spirit. As he lifted it to the village, it gave off a faint glimmer. With a satisfied smile, the Guardian Dragoon placed it back in the bag. Oh yes, it was a good day.  
  
Author's Note: Yep, that's what's up with all those ownerless Spirits. Their owners are in this dimension. Mwahaha. Anyway, for those of you who want to know what I'm updating next, I'm working on Chapter 11 of Valley, which I might even get up later tonight, and then I'm going to TRY (key word there) to get Chapter 5 of Crimson Wings up before Tuesday, when Chapter 71 is due. K? 


	71. Selari

Author's Note: *runs over his writer's block with a steamroller* DIE, evil mental deficiency from hell! I squish you beneath my big wheels of death! Mwahaha. OK, I feel better now.  
  
Regrem, I don't think that the whole gem thing is gonna happen. The whole point of the Prism Spirit is that the entire balance weighs on the sole wielder of the Spirit, which is good for the Murderer because if he can get Rayen to swing out of line, everything's dead. Period. If there's more than one, that kind of defeats the whole purpose. Sorry, but that doesn't really have a place in the story. For the most part, I've got the major events planned out until the end of the fic, which WILL come eventually, but it may take a while.  
  
And Phantom, get over it. It's just a Dragon. Ye gods, you don't have to murder all my characters just because Rayen killed an oversized icy lizard.  
  
Chapter 71  
  
"So, there are Dragoons among the slaves in our own world. I did not expect such a thing to happen."  
  
"Should I send out an order for the Humans in this dimension to be disposed of, my liege?"  
  
"No, it makes no difference. He is all that matters. Chop off the head and the body will fall, no matter how large it is."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Send out a dispatch. They won't find many in that settlement, but the second Divine Dragoon is there, so we'd better send out six divisions."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Another thing. Place an officer in charge of this task force."  
  
The messenger demon's blood-red eyes opened wide in surprise, and he stammered a weak protest. "An officer? But sire, we have so few, and..."  
  
"Do you doubt my judgement?"  
  
"Of course not, Lord, but..."  
  
"Very well then. You have your orders."  
  
Shaking his head in disbelief, the courier left to deliver his message to the troops. The dark being steepled his fingers, gazing deep into the orb that was his eyes to the outside world. Why didn't the fool understand? This was not a war of self-preservation. They themselves were not even truly alive, nor really dead; they were stuck in some sort of accursed limbo born of the deepest, darkest, most secret places of people's hearts. Apparently he had grown attached to the wretched semblance of existence he had gained. Oh well, one had to expect cowards in every group. However, if it became too much more of a problem, he would have to be disposed of. Nothing could interfere with the plan.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Death.  
  
Rayen could feel it, hanging over the recent incredible developments in their favor, sucking out the joy like a leech. He had no idea where it was coming from. He suspected divine intervention was the cause of these premonitions, even though he had been receiving them long before he had completed the Prism Spirit. All the previous ones he had accepted without doubts, but this one he approached with caution. He had no idea whether this vision was real, or if the Murderer was making appear so, so as to make him make a foolish mistake that would destroy all hope.  
  
He glared down angrily at the Spirit in his palm. "What the hell do you think you're trying to pull?"  
  
The swirling vortex of magic inside the crystal remained silent. Figures, Rayen thought grimly. The Murderer had two modes of speaking, snide mockery and maddeningly cryptic riddles. There was no in between. There was nothing he would gain out of speaking to the god anyway. It would only make the situation more complicated.  
  
The snow snapped underfoot in protest as the Dragoons trudged wearily down the hill towards the valley where the quaint village sat unassumingly, Abrian at the lead. Heads snapped up at their passing. Abrian motioned for them all to be silent. "Just let me do the talking. They'll believe me."  
  
Abrian followed the Spirit's pulse like a beacon atop a lighthouse, which eventually grew steadily brighter until they reached a small hovel in center of the town. A look of perplexity flickered on Abrian's face, as if he were not sure if this was the correct destination. Rayen glanced at him. "You all right?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just... I know the person who lives here."  
  
Phil scratched the back of his head. "Well, it's a small town. Don't you know everyone?"  
  
Abrian gazed back at the Jade Dragoon, his expression unreadable, while Dawn nudged him in the ribs in a signal for Phil to keep quiet as they were instructed. After a few moments, Abrian shrugged and opened the door. Rayen followed, but the others stayed behind. Abrian knocked gently on the doorframe to alert the occupants of their arrival. A tall, burly man came down the steps. "Abrian? Who's this with you?"  
  
Fortunately, Abrian and Rayen blocked the view of the several hundred warriors outside. "Well, it's a long story..."  
  
The Silver Dragoon glanced at the Spirit, and then back at Rayen, but the Guardian Dragoon shook his head. Abrian finished his sentence awkwardly. "...Is Selari home?"  
  
The man looked from Abrian to Rayen, but shrugged. "Yeah, I'll get her."  
  
The man Rayen assumed was Selari's father came back down the staircase, a tall, tanned girl with long red hair and brilliant green eyes in tow. "Abrian?"  
  
"Hey, Sel. Listen, this is going to sound really crazy, but this guy here is in command of an army from the other side of the gateway who have magical stones that transform them into legendary warriors, and they're here to fight the demons."  
  
The girl shook her head. "You're right. It does sound crazy."  
  
Her father stared at Rayen. "Is this some sort of joke?"  
  
Rayen remained silent, as he was told. Sure enough, Abrian answered the question for him. "Well... no. The other three hundred are outside your door right now. See, they've got another couple hundred of the stones that belong to people in our world, and one of them accepted me."  
  
"All right, so you've come to show your new powers off?"  
  
Despite the seriousness of their situation, Abrian rolled his eyes. "No, Sel, you dolt. One of them has chosen you, too." He exhibited the Divine Dragoon Spirit as evidence. Selari took the Spirit, and it began to shine brighter. She looked back at her father.  
  
His face was disapproving. "I'm not sure I should let you go and get yourself get killed for a bunch of people from another world."  
  
Her face grew indignant. "For what? So we can remain slaves all our lives? Have you forgotten that they killed Mom?"  
  
"How could I? But..." The man exhaled heavily, and threw up his hands in defeat. "Fine. Go."  
  
Selari hugged her father briefly, then smiled at Rayen and Abrian, waiting. Rayen blinked and spoke up for the first time. "Well, that was considerably easier than I expected."  
  
"Oh, he talks?"  
  
"Of course he talks. He wouldn't be in charge of an army if all he did was sit there and point, would he?"  
  
"He's standing."  
  
"Shut up, Sel."  
  
A few hours later, the Dragoons were moving out of the town, laden with fresh supplies from the townspeople, who, despite a dissenting voice here and there, were more than happy to assist their efforts. Abrian and Selari trudged along side Rayen at the head of the group. "So, what now?"  
  
Rayen thought for a moment. "Well, before we go to human settlements looking for new Dragoons, we ought to have a sort of home base. A fortified area, preferably easy to defend and with a good store of supplies." Shade nodded his agreement.  
  
Abrian snapped his fingers. "I know just the place. The demons have a fort in a nearby mountain pass. They may not have a lot of food there or anything, but it'd be a start."  
  
Shade's brows narrowed. "Who would want to build a fortress in a mountain pass? They'd be crushed by a competent attack on both sides."  
  
"Well, that's sort of the point. You see, the fortress is there to keep the humans on both sides of the mountains from communicating, so that they can't organize a major rebellion. If the humans can't talk to each other, then they can't organize a two-pronged attack."  
  
Shade's brown eyes flickered, a sign he was considering the matter. Rayen spoke up while the Dark Dragoon examined the situation. "But I thought you said that revolts hardly did any damage to them. Why would they take those sort of measures to prevent them?"  
  
"Well, one big rebellion would certainly do more damage than several smaller ones that are quelled immediately."  
  
Shade spoke, his voice clear even through the cloth of the mask that covered his mouth. "I suppose mountainous terrain wouldn't be too much of a problem for us, considering we can fly, and we could prepare magical defenses, even from an attack on both sides..."  
  
The Dark Dragoon's voice trailed off, and Rayen smiled. "I think it's a great idea. Just out of curiosity, do the demons have any aerial troops stationed there?"  
  
"Well, I don't know for sure, but I doubt they have any fliers beyond a few airborne messengers. Flying combat troops are pretty scarce, they don't like to waste them."  
  
Rayen nodded, for most of the enemy they had fought so far were strictly ground creatures. He felt a plan taking shape in the back of his mind. "Great. Lead on."  
  
Abrian nodded, and the group turned to the west, where snow covered peaks jutted from the blanket of clouds. They were on their way.  
  
Author's Note: Bwah. OK, the next chapters will definitely come easier. Sorry about the wait. O_o Sure, Shade, you can have the sky if you want. Provided it doesn't just disappear from their world or anything. That would suck majorly. Okey dokey, chapter over. 


	72. First Victory

Author's Note: Demon, I hope I don't have to remind you that I have 12 other fics I work on. And you mean to tell me you've never gotten stuck on something? Besides, I've had a ton of personal stuff going on. But these next 6 chapters or so will come really fast, because I've been planning this next sequence of events for about 40 chapters. Let's just say that things are going to get very interesting very quickly. Of course, the chapters will probably have 400-word long Author's Notes again because so many people are going to be confused by what's going on. But that's life.  
  
Yes, Freefall, I decided to make the second Divine Dragoon female, despite my personal experiences with said gender. *ducks under a table to avoid rain of pointy objects*  
  
Chapter 72  
  
The Dragoons stood silently a few hundred feet from the mountain fort, waiting silently for orders. Rayen was in the process of delivering those orders. "Is it ready?"  
  
Shade's reply was, as always, sharp and brutally honest. "Of course it's ready. Would something have happened to it in ten hours?"  
  
"No, I guess I'm just nervous. All right then. Let's go."  
  
The two Dragoons headed for the amassed warriors behind them, who all looked up at their approach. The army grew quiet, for they knew Rayen was going to speak. The Guardian Dragoon cleared his throat once, and began. "Well, we've got a big fight ahead of us today. This is the first battle we've had on enemy soil. Before now it's been smooth sailing. We've been fighting on home turf, without terrain problems, and so on. But this is where things start to get rocky... literally and figuratively."  
  
This brought a few chuckles from the crowd, but Rayen held up a hand for silence. "This battle will, more than anything, determine the course of the rest of the war. If we win here, we have a solid place to return to if things get rough, and a highly desirable defensive position. From here we can take both sides of the mountain range, hopefully picking up new Dragoons from the human settlements on the way. If we lose this one... well, it will certainly be more difficult. But I can't see how we could possibly lose here. With our little surprise in wait for them, we'll be halfway to taking the place before they realize what hit them. All the same, don't get sloppy out there. We can't afford too many clumsy mistakes, and there aren't any second chances in this business."  
  
There were murmurs of assent from the soldiers, and Rayen turned to Shade, exhaling heavily. "Right. Let's go."  
  
"Sure, but it's your orders, not mine."  
  
Rayen nodded, and searched out Victor in the crowd. The highlander stood off to the side from the rest, cupping his hands around a cigarette. Due to the upcoming battle, he was using a match rather than squander magical energy, no matter how miniscule, on mere convenience. "You ready?"  
  
"Whenever you are," was the Red-Eye's immediate reply.  
  
During the night, Rayen had sent three Red-Eyes, including Victor, and Shade out into the mountain pass. According to Abrian and Selari's information, a garrison on either side protected the fort. If they were able to cut off troops from one garrison, they could move in easily on the undefended fort. Under Shade's magical cover of darkness that no eyes could penetrate, the Red-Eyes had lain magical explosives along the mountainside. When detonated, they should cause an avalanche of boulders to block off the narrow pass between the fort and the nearest garrison. Because the enemy had no air troops, they would have no way to reinforce the defenses. Once they had seized the garrison, moving in on the fort would be a relatively simple task.  
  
"Make it happen."  
  
"Right." The three Red-Eyes raised their arms simultaneously, then swung them down, and the mountains were alight with roaring explosions. The dust settled, and for a moment they thought their plan had failed, but then there was a loud rumble. A shower of rock cascaded down the slopes, forming a massive barrier over the pass. There were cheers of triumph, and Rayen felt his worries being wiped away by the exhilaration of battle. The bright glow of Spirits filled the air, and in a moment, Rayen stood before an army of Dragon Knights, all of them waiting for his command. "Let's go."  
  
Three hundred pairs of wings spread wide, and they took to the air, weapons at the ready. They soared over the garrison, where Rayen looked down with something almost like sympathy, for the defenses along the garrison were meager, and practically nonexistent. The Dragoons dove like hundreds of hungry falcons, wiping out their foes in a matter of seconds. It was a rout, and a disheartening one at that, for there was something demoralizing about annihilating a helpless enemy.  
  
But the Dragoons had a much larger task ahead of them. Soon they were taking off again, this time their destination far more difficult to capture. Unlike its protective wall, the fortress was swarming with activity, with tiny black shapes darting here and there among the chaos. Rayen called out over the rushing noise of the wind. "Damage as little of the building as possible!"  
  
Sean nodded his affirmative, and folded his wings at his sides, allowing the wind current and the force of gravity to take him slowly down to earth. The cannon would blow the entire building to pieces, so he would have to go with a more selective alternative. The panel on his shoulder popped up, pulsing with suppressed energy. "Divine Dragon Ball!"  
  
The shower of magical meteorites crashed into the flood of demons along the castle walls. Panic took hold, and the resistance scattered haphazardly around the battlement. The Dragoons charged in, knocking over the barriers around the walls and landing on the roof. Then all hell broke loose, as the rooftop became a gigantic melee, a surging mass of chaos. The Dragoons were caught up in the rush, and they swung at anything that came within range, but the area was so congested that they could barely find enough room to use their weapons, much less with any effectiveness.  
  
Sean beat back the shifting crowd around him, trying to make a little room to work with. All he really had to do was swing his weapon, and something would be decapitated or beaten senseless by the haft of his weapon. But they couldn't keep up with this tactic for much longer. Pure mishap would claim more of their warriors than the foe. They had to think of something fast, or things could start to go very badly.  
  
Fortunately, one of the Sea Dragoons had the same idea, and more importantly, the means to achieve it. Aquaria gave up at trying to make any headway in the seething mass on the top of the fortress, so she decided things would be a lot easier if everyone would sit still, despite how little she followed that advice herself. She took to the air, thrusting her open hand at the crowd below. "Nerve Freeze!"  
  
Blue light flashed, and the flowing tide of black utterly halted. Sean smiled. Now that he was level with the building, he had no problems with using the cannon. With it, he could wipe out most of these clustering numbers with one swoop. He lifted the barrel, making sure it was above the battlements, but held it low enough to still deal with the demons at the same time. Satisfied, he fired. "Divine Dragon Cannon!"  
  
The pale blue-white beam sliced through the helpless darkness like a butcher knife through a freshly slaughtered steer. Sean moved the cannon so that the beam took out as much of the foe as possible, but made sure to keep it only to the areas the Dragoons had not yet penetrated, so that no friendly warrior got caught in the blast. The remaining demons were quickly cut down due to the now comfortable amounts of space, and soon the Dragoons were ready to take on the troops that had taken to the inner sanctum of the fort. Rayen led the way; Birathion catching the first dawn's sunlight as it arced through the air and sliced the heavy wooden door in two with incredible ease. The Dragoons streamed into the chamber, spreading in a fanlike pattern.  
  
Now that the Dragoons were blessed with the miracle of experience, this battle went much better than the previous one. The Dragoons flew into the air, taking care not to hit the ceiling, and landed on all sides of the swarming pool of darkness. With enemies on all sides, the demons were forced into the center of the room and cut to ribbons. Rayen sent small groups of Dragoons to all corners of the fort, making sure the enemy was totally wiped out. Sheathing the Protector, the Guardian Dragoon felt the last of his Spirit energy play out, his armor already fading in a last gasp of multicolored light.  
  
The scouts came back, the last pockets of resistance dealt with, and all eyes turned to their leader. Filled with the exhaustion and elation that came with a well-earned victory, Rayen smiled. "Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to central command."  
  
Author's Note: Oh gods, that chapter SUCKED. *banging head against wall* Ah well, at least the next battle scene will be better. Although I think some people are gonna get mad at me... but who cares? Mwahaha... I is evil. 


	73. Shadows Looming

Author's Note: Trust me, DDX, things will get very unhappy soon. Anyway, despite all the encouragement (thanks a lot for that, by the way), I still think that last chapter sucked. But luckily, we've got a kick-ass battle next chapter to make up for it. At least I hope it will, 'cause I REALLY hated that last chapter. It came out all wrong. Oh well. These next few chapters will be really dark and gloomy and stuff, partly because I planned them that way, and partly because I've been watching too many Linkin Park music videos on my computer. They've got a new album coming out soon, dontcha now. I like that new Somewhere I Belong video, 'cause there's lots of fire. Fiiiiiire...  
  
Fifi, if I told you what I had planned for the next couple chapters, well... I wouldn't be able to surprise you. And that would take all the evilness away. And Striker likes evilness.  
  
Striker do too speak good.  
  
Chapter 73  
  
Artaeris grimaced in disgust when he heard the news the next morning. So they were finally dropping all pretenses. He was being left behind.  
  
They did a great job of glorifying it, he had to give them credit for that. Rayen had said something about protecting their new fort. Abrian, who had accidentally discovered a personal talent for enchanting mundane objects, had made a stone that allowed the half-Giganto to communicate directly with Rayen whenever the enemy was approaching the base. Then, the Wingly Dragoons would pool their energies to create a mass teleport spell to send the army back to the fort. If their combined energies were not enough, Rayen would pitch in some of the Guardian Dragoon's almost limitless power.  
  
The sheer frustration of the matter made Artaeris want to tear the godforsaken building apart, stone by stone. He, a proud son of a upstanding warrior, reduced to a scout, a caged canary in a mine! An one-eyed Minito could do the same task, and probably with the same effectiveness as Artaeris himself. But no, he was too much of a liability to haul around. This way, they got rid of unnecessary weight and an extra mouth to feed, and still made it appear that this tiresome piece of baggage was doing something useful. The young half-Giganto's thoughts gradually sunk deeper and deeper into a mire of bitterness and gloom.  
  
A scout sped breathlessly towards the fort, travelling as fast as his emerald wings would take him. The Jade Dragoon practically hurled himself upon the stone battlement, as several of the soldiers that were on the roof at the time crowded around him. The Wind Dragon Knight panted furiously, exhausted. "I must... speak with the commander!"  
  
Rayen was up to the top of the building so quickly one could have sworn he had brought himself there by magic. He knelt at the side of the scout, who was slurping down water brought to him. "What's wrong?" It was obvious someone would not have broken their back getting here to deliver good news.  
  
"Task force... headed this way."  
  
Victor landed nearby, nodding his affirmation. "I was out there too. It's the biggest goddamn group of the little bastards I've seen yet."  
  
Rayen swore under his breath. "That was fast."  
  
Kyra clenched her clawed fist, the sickly sunlight of the weak sun casting a cold glow on the steel barbs of her weapons. "Too fast. How could they have possibly gotten the news that quickly?"  
  
"Unless this group was dispatched earlier, perhaps as soon as we entered this dimension in the first place, and then picked up that information on the way," Oraeus pointed out, although he looked as grim as anyone else on the rooftop.  
  
Rayen's hand went to the hilt of the Dragon Buster, the magical force of the ancient relic tingling in his fingertips. "It makes no difference. Prepare the troops for mobilization."  
  
Phil looked at him like he was insane, but Rayen was so used to this expression he hardly even noticed it anymore. "But we just took this place! Why not put it to good use?"  
  
"Because for all we know, there could be an equally large force approaching from the other side of the mountains. If that's true, then we would be stuck between two massive enemy blockades, stuck inside a small fort. We'd be butchered. No, it's better to fight one at a time than both at once."  
  
The Jade Dragoon was obstinate. "But you said we could prepare magical defenses!"  
  
Rayen sighed. "If the forces are as large as they say, then I doubt any amount of magic would do us a great deal of good."  
  
"But we'd just leave this place unmanned, and if they took it back we'd just have come in one big circle."  
  
"Better to win again than to die for the first time."  
  
Phil's mouth opened again, then shut. He threw up his hands in defeat. "Fine. Unfortunately for the rest of us, you're the boss."  
  
"Phil, if you were in charge, we'd probably be baking a giant pizza for your last meal."  
  
"I'm offended. If it were my last meal, we'd have a gigantic steak. The problem would be finding a cow big enough. I don't the hormone problem is that bad yet."  
  
Resisting a strong urge to take his friend aside and smack him, Rayen motioned for Phil to get on with it. Rolling his eyes one last time, the Jade Dragoon left.  
  
Rayen felt a tug at his arm, and turned around. It was Shade, his brown eyes regarding the young warrior intently. "I need the gem." It wasn't a request.  
  
Rayen's face was blank as he tried to figure out what the Dark Dragoon was talking about. "Gem?"  
  
"The gem from the staff."  
  
Rayen's face instantly turned from confusion to shocked surprise. He stared at Shade in disbelief. "How... did you know about that?"  
  
"I see a lot more than people give me credit for," Shade replied dryly.  
  
"What do you need it for?" It wasn't as though Rayen was suspicious; he had learned too much about Shade to think that. He was simply genuinely curious, and rightly so. It wasn't often someone came out of the blue and asked you for an artifact you had no idea anyone else knew existed.  
  
"I have a theory. Although the main spell on the Dragon Block Staff is broken when it shatters, there is some sort of residual magic that lies inside the pieces themselves, so that the device can still function when it's repaired. My plan is to project my magic through the gem, and I'm hoping that the powers of the gem will magnify my spells. An amplifier, if you will."  
  
Rayen could certainly see how that would make sense, and the more advantages they had over the enemy, the better. He slipped a hand into his pocket and gave the fist-sized green gem to the Dark Dragoon, who turned on his heel without another word.  
  
Dawn hurried to the top of the fort when she received the news. Taking hold of her berdiche, she practically scurried up the stone steps, her boots clicking on the cold granite below her feet. Again they were off to battle, with the pain and the eternal suffering. She hated combat, for it was the epitome of the horrors man could inflict on fellow man. It was true that they were not fighting true humans now, but the whole idea repulsed her.  
  
She longed for the days when everything was simple. When she was still a waitress at that little restaurant in her hometown and her biggest problems were those mysterious disappearances and dealing with the grief of her parents' death. Despite what people said about the tortures of dealing with the unknown, Dawn now thought that it was better to not know than to ultimately learn the worst had happened, and to see those horrors with your own eyes. But now she was marching off to war, to watch as humans broke their backs for a heartless race that made no sign that they even acknowledged their existence except when delighting in a vicious flogging.  
  
But Dawn knew that if she allowed this to go on, she would be no better than the slime that was perpetrating such heinous crimes. She had turned to violence as a last resort, because she had gone so far as to decide that nothing else would truly work. Now that she had accepted violence, she was beginning to worry that she had trapped herself, and that it would be impossible to get out of the rut she had dug for herself. But for now, she couldn't escape it. At least until all this was over, she had to fight.  
  
Rayen flew at the head of the Dragoons, once again clad in the resplendent armor of the Guardian Dragoon. He scanned the snowy earth below them, searching for this force that they had spoken of in whispers filled with fear. He was certain this was the place; both Victor and the scout had said so. But there was nothing in sight. Except...  
  
No, that couldn't be it. Just a shadow... no! He had thought it the shadow of one of the mountains, but shadows did not move, or at least they didn't move like that. But sure enough, the gigantic black mass was crawling along. It was larger than even he had imagined. He drew the Protector, and pointed the tip of the blade towards the surging foe. The Dragoons opened their wings wide, tilted their bodies, and dove. Their enemies must have spotted them, for the huge formation suddenly halted, as if they were waiting for them.  
  
Rayen didn't want to disappoint them. The Dragoons landed in orderly rows a few hundred yards away. Weapons were drawn, faces set in grim lines. But then the crowd of demons parted, and a single ebony figure stepped to the head. A demon in the shape of a human, which they had not seen much of. But then it became more unusual still. It produced a fist-sized ruby, and clutched in front of its chest.  
  
Red-hot flames enveloped its dark form, and as it lifted a wicked-looking scimitar, the demon was dressed in the armor of a Red-Eye Dragoon.  
  
Author's Note: Bum bum BUUUUM! That's right, kiddies, the baddies have Dragoons now! Bad stuff's going down, needless to say. Big battle chapter coming up next, so review and squirm in anticipation! Mwahaha. 


	74. Collapse

Author's Note: Nah, this guy isn't Zieg. If you go back, I said the army began to appear after Melbu was defeated, and Zieg and Rose both died fighting Melbu. Therefore, they have no demonic counterparts. Sorry. Scimitars are pretty common weapons, DDX. They're just curved swords. Besides, I have this strange obsession with obscure medieval weaponry.  
  
Yes, I'm sorry it took so long, AGAIN, but I had a huge science project due two days ago and I've been working on it for most of the past week. For some reason, my updates for Rebirth are slowing down. probably because I'm becoming obsessed with updating Crimson Wings. I STILL haven't gotten Chapter 2 of the Zieg fic out yet, shame on me. I have been having the BUSIEST month... ugh. Luckily it's over after this weekend.  
  
Still two weeks and five days until Golden Sun: Lost Age comes out. *head has imploded because he's banged it against the wall so many times in impatience*  
  
Chapter 74  
  
Birathion came down hard against the long scimitar, but the Dragoon opposite Rayen was unfazed. Rayen thrust inward, still berating himself for not thinking of this possibility before. The demon that had possessed the man who had opened the portal was the Divine Dragoon, for crying out loud. And yet he had not even considered the idea of the enemy having Dragoons. Their one true edge was lost.  
  
But perhaps they had a limited amount, and the more they got rid of, the more Spirits they would gain. The trouble was that their magical power was their strongest advantage over the enemy's practically limitless numbers. If the enemy could match their strength, what hope did they have left? They must have a considerable amount, if they are willing to just throw one away like this, for there was no hope that one Dragoon could hold out against three hundred. But then again, perhaps they were attempting to trick them, to crush what remained of their slipping dream on a bold gamble.  
  
It was certainly working, Rayen thought grimly. All of the Dragoons kept staring back at them, sometimes in the middle of a fight, risking decapitation for a single backward glance. It merely illustrated how serious this problem was. Rayen could not ignore it. He hoped he could get this over with quickly, so as to minimize the mental effect of the incident. But he could feel it eating away at him as well.  
  
As he thrust in with Birathion again, Rayen's free hand itched for the ornate silver hilt of the Dragon Buster, but he willed it to stay at his side. The Dragon Buster was his secret weapon, for he doubted that his enemy had learned of it in the short time it had been since his battle with the Sea Dragon. If he drew it now, his opponent would be on guard for the weapon that was so lethal to Dragons and Dragoons alike. No, it was better wait for an opening.  
  
The wicked scimitar cut through the air, aiming to slice open his throat. Rayen brought the Protector up to parry, but the curved blade caused his weapon to slide out from underneath the stroke, and he was forced to duck to avoid losing his head. He slashed to the right, taking the chance that his foe would be able to recover in time to block. Rayen was correct, as the demon Dragoon recovered from the rash offensive move to defensive position with surprising agility. It was certainly a good thing he hadn't used the Dragon Buster there.  
  
Despite the original misconception that the enemy mass they were facing was the shadow of a mountain, they were actually fighting on a mountainside, a barren plateau covered in snow overlooking a harsh drop to the snowy ground below. Why someone would lead an army across such an outcropping was impossible for Rayen to fathom. But it was very flat, which was actually a disadvantage for the Dragoons, for because they could fly, terrain bothered them little. Perhaps that had been the enemy's reasoning for choosing such a route.  
  
Rayen was so caught up in his own musings he almost didn't his foe's movements in time. He brought Birathion hastily up to block, berating himself mentally for not paying attention to the matter at hand. He turned, grim and determined, to his foe, the Protector held steady in his hand. The spidery golden runes seemed to gleam in the weak light of the sun, or perhaps by some inner light of their own. Judging by the fact that the sun was almost obscured by an oppressive gray curtain of clouds, Rayen suspected it was the latter.  
  
Rayen then launched into a fierce yet steady series of attacks. Darting in, he sliced to the left. When he found his blade blocked, he slashed upwards, knowing that the blow would do nothing even if it connected, but also keeping the flow of the battle firmly in his own hands. To avoid the blow, his opponent powered himself backward with a push off the ground, while Rayen lunged and thrust in with Birathion for the demon's gut. His adversary turned his weapon aside and hastily fired a blazing projectile at the Guardian Dragoon.  
  
Rayen ducked beneath the fireball, hardly concerned by it. In fact, he actually welcomed it, for it was a sign his foe was growing uneasy, which only made his job easier. Just keep pushing him back, until he can go no further, then strike. His own armor shifted to violet, and eerie tendrils of lightning crackled between his fingertips. The bolt that followed would have knocked the demon Dragoon off his feet had he not already been airborne, so it sent him flying backward instead.  
  
Rayen wasted no time in charging back into the fray, the Protector held high above his head. Even as he swung downward, his opponent had already managed to regain control and to block the stroke. This mattered little to Rayen; indeed, he had expected such a course of action. He was biding his time, pushing his foe to the limits. Soon he would be unable to fight back.  
  
The Red-Eye Dragoon was apparently finding that out for himself, and began to hurl himself at Rayen in what appeared to be a last ditch attempt, initiated out of pure desperation. Rayen blocked the first stroke, ducked beneath the one meant to sever his neck, brought up his blade to parry the slash for his gut, and let a fourth blow bounce off the heavy plates that covered his arm. Finally, the demon raised the scimitar high above his head, swinging it downward in an attempt to cleave Rayen in two. This was obviously the last gasp of a man who knows he is dead, for the curved, relatively thin blade of his weapon was hardly meant for such a task.  
  
However, it did provide Rayen with the exact opportunity he needed to finish this battle. The Guardian Dragoon interposed his weapon between the scimitar and his own head and, planting his feet firmly, put all his weight behind the Protector and shoved forward. His plan worked. The demon, either without knowledge of Rayen's intentions, or without the force required to stop them, or possibly both, was forced back, his arms flung over his head where it would be virtually impossible for him to bring his weapon back to block the killing stroke in time. Rayen's hand instantly snatched up the silver hilt of the Dragon Buster, the surreal flaming blue blade flickering into existence at his touch. He felt the weapon slice through the incredibly hard Dragoon armor like it was nothing more than a flimsy shell of paper. The hellish crimson irises bulged in pain and shock as he felt the ancient Wingly relic weaving the magic that would obliterate him from existence.  
  
With that obstacle dealt with, Rayen turned to see how the rest of his army was faring. He did not like what he saw. By sheer force of numbers, the enemy had managed to separate the Dragoons and would soon begin the process of wiping them out individually. Not only that, but the incredible amount of troops pressing in on them from all sides prevented the Dragoons from taking to the air. Rayen was glad that all the hand-to-hand combat in the last battle had given him enough spirit energy to transform again, albeit for a shorter span of time. Something had to be done, or this war would be over before it had hardly begun.  
  
But what Rayen didn't know was, someone was already doing something to prevent such an outcome. Shade, who had quickly realized the turn the battle was taking, had decided to divert the outcome back to where they wanted it. Clearly, the best way to achieve such a goal was to destroy as much of the enemy as possible, as quickly as possible. With Rayen's attention focused on the enemy Dragoon, Shade decided to use his secret weapon. He had no idea if his theory would even work, but it surely couldn't hurt their chances.  
  
The turquoise gem made no sign of being magical in nature at all when Shade pulled it out, but the Dark Dragoon was undaunted by that. It was not like a Dragoon Spirit, which burst into a dazzling spectacle at a mere touch. This object was much subtler, but Shade wasn't positive that this fact made it any less powerful. But there was only one way to find out. He felt the magic tingle in his fingertips, and focused his mind on transmitting it through the gem.  
  
Whatever Shade was expecting, it certainly wasn't the gigantic bolt of darkness that was emitted from the gem, for the force nearly lifted him off his feet. He stared in awe as the magical projectile plowed through a full rank of the demons and kept going. He had hoped that it would assist his magic, but he had never even hoped to dream it would be this effective. But would it make any difference? The Dragoons were separated, and the first were beginning to fall. More would follow if there wasn't a single masterstroke, one that, even with the power of this new artifact, he didn't have the means to provide.  
  
Unless...  
  
He turned, gazed at the precipice of the cliff upon which they fought. He made up his mind quickly, as he always had done. He never wasted valuable time second-guessing himself, and this instance was hardly an exception. He glanced back at the enemy, many of whom had turned to him after the first devastating magical assault. Good, then he wouldn't have to waste magical energy diverting them from their individual conflicts. Just to make sure he had established himself as their most dangerous adversary, he channeled his magic through the orb once again.  
  
The jagged bolt of shadowy lightning ripped through another few hundred demons, reducing them to wisps of darkness. Almost all of the remaining troops charged after Shade, completely oblivious to their other opponents in light of this new threat. Satisfied, he began backing up, making it seem as though they had him retreating. Then, he reached the edge of the cliff. He halted, then looked beyond the tide of the enemy, searching for a glimpse of Rayen amongst the chaos.  
  
He soon found the Guardian Dragoon staring back at him. Rayen had the Prism Spirit clenched firmly in hand, just about to activate it once more. But he suddenly couldn't bring himself to focus his mind upon the stone, for he was overcome by paralyzing shock at the sight of what Shade did next. The Dark Dragoon lifted his shorter, serrated blade to his brow in what was unmistakably a final salute. Rayen's numbing mind finally grasped the full extent of what Shade was about to do.  
  
"No..."  
  
Then Shade thrust his longer blade into the ground beneath him. The magic from his armor was amplified through the magical gem, and spread through the rock face until it reached where the entire enemy army stood.  
  
Then the cliff split asunder beneath them, and several thousand demons and a single Dark Dragoon were sent tumbling down an unfathomable distance to the unforgiving earth below.  
  
"NO!"  
  
Both of Rayen's hands clenched the crystal so hard his knuckles turned white from the force. Unbelievable agony seeped from the Spirit, rushing through his veins like a delighted fiend let loose from its prison deep in the tortured lands of some hellish realm. A swirling tempest of darkness enveloped him, and he felt it harden into armor... and wings. Too late, he knew he had let his anger take hold of him, and he was releasing the something he feared most. Shade felt the winds rip about him as he fell down, amidst a cloud of his enemies. He knew that the heavier rocks would fall to the ground before he did, and it would actually be the impact that killed him, his spine cracking against the stones beneath him, his back breaking. He would be buried by some of the smaller boulders, ones that were smaller than he and therefore gaining more resistance from the air. Occasionally, a small stone, sharpened to a deadly point by the magic that had blasted a good chunk of the cliff from the side of the mountain, would slice across his body, leaving a trail of crimson in its wake. This was a momentary discomfort, however, and it would be soon silenced. Death was inescapable this time; he had just gotten lucky several times in the past.  
  
He felt no remorse about the thought of death; as was already stated, he never bothered to second-guess his actions. Besides, his life had run afoul through his own choice; it was only fitting that his death would be the thing that set it on track. A tiny glimmer of light showed through both the blankets of clouds and the shower of boulders, the last light he would ever see. Shade reached his hand up as if to grasp it and he could have sworn his fingers caught hold of something before the darkness of his element overtook him.  
  
Author's Note: Fifi, THIS is why I wouldn't tell you what I had planned for the next couple chapters. Baddies have Dragoons, Shade fell off a cliff, and to top it all off, Rayen's going Apocalypse Dragoon again! How's that for pessimistic?  
  
Anyway, just so nobody gets confused, the beginning of next chapter will be told from Rayen's POV, but then it will shift back to third person perspective. I know this update took forever, but I made it extra long to compensate. Rejoice.  
  
With all that being said... *locks self inside of a safe* DON'T KILL ME! *hides from all the other authors who will be after his hide for dropping a rock slide on Shade* 


	75. Rampant Chaos

Author's Note: *still hiding in safe to protect self from vengeful fellow authors and their strangling, pike roasting, and Barney watching* I knew this would happen...  
  
On a happier note, my super-busy month is FINALLY over! Plus, we've got 11:30 dismissal Wednesday through Friday, so I'll have even MORE time to write. Rejoice. And better still, I reserved a copy of Golden Sun: Lost Age on Friday! WHOO! Now I just have to keep myself from exploding until the 15th... relax, it's only two weeks from tomorrow...  
  
Mmf... as previously stated, the beginning of this chapter will be told from Rayen's POV. The line of asterisks that usually depicts scene change will mean a switch back to third person in this instance.  
  
Chapter 75  
  
Nobody can truly understand what I go through every time that stone glows black. Some of them try to comfort themselves against the horrible atrocities I commit while clad in the armor of the Apocalypse Dragoon by convincing themselves that the armor takes hold of me, and that I cannot control my actions. As much as I would like to confirm that, it truly is a lie. I am totally conscious and rational, or at least as rational as one can be in that accursed suit, under such incredible pain. For that is how the Apocalypse Dragoon works; the agony it induces on the wearer is so intense that I would do anything to end it as quickly as I possibly can, and I know that the only way to achieve that is to destroy everything in sight. If I were to be presented with a planet filled with helpless infants to annihilate, I would have done so without a second thought, if it meant that it would terminate the transformation. That's how all encompassing and absolute the pain is.  
  
My anger and my grief over the sight of Shade falling to what would undoubtedly be his demise, tangled up with a dozen other incomprehensible emotions, awakened the evil presence lying just below the crystalline surface of the Prism Spirit. As soon as the armor had manifested itself, I found myself already reaching for Azmerak, the fiery eyes of the twin dragons seeming to gleam in bloodthirsty anticipation. My other hand snatched the argent hilt of the Dragon Buster from my belt. The flaming yellow blade emerged, and as it had when I had used the ancient weapon as the Guardian Dragoon, it began to change. Except that the sword turned not to blue, but to red. Not the pale red-orange of an open fire, but a deep crimson, like blood.  
  
Over the roaring pain in my head, I heard a voice I dimly recognized as Phil's, yelling hoarsely for the other Dragoons to clear out of the way. I realized, with a sort of perverse satisfaction on a deep level of my consciousness that appalled what little of my sane mind remained, that he was warning them about me. I pushed off the ground, reluctantly at first, as if my mind were bodily hurling itself at my onrushing anger. But it was to no avail, and the amazing force of my fury unleashed to its most chaotic level flattened my resolve, and the berserk machine I had become was allowed to run rampant. With both swords raised above my head, I launched myself into the throng, and the slaughter began.  
  
I was so far into the rush of adrenaline and torment that I sliced indiscriminately through everything in my path, paying no attention to whatever I killed before I moved onto the next target. Nothing mattered to me but the destruction, because everything I exterminated brought me one step closer to ending my own torture. Undoubtedly it seems selfish, but nobody had my burden forced upon him or her. It is simply unendurable, more than anyone could stand. So I killed, and what scared me most is that some portion of me, however small, did not just enjoy the massacre, but reveled in it.  
  
I reached the edge of the precipice, and whipped around. The tips of the Destroyer and the distorted Dragon Buster met, and my magic began to flow between them, manifesting itself in the form of crackling red energy. My voice echoed across the snow-covered expanse, an area where, if my current objectives were accomplished, would be completely devoid of life. "The torrential storm runs red with the blood of my enemies, strike them down once more! Crimson Lightning."  
  
The blades parted, and the magic spread from both swords, unleashed into bolts that leapt from victim to victim in a lethal web. I watched in satisfaction as the magic multiplied as it sped across the plateau, almost as if it were feeding off the death of its victims. I floated back down to the snowy ground below, and was just about to hurl myself back into the fray to annihilate any remainders when I was suddenly halted. Two arms, one emerald, the other golden, grabbed my elbows and pinned them to my sides. Two additional arms, obviously the companion to each previous set, landed on my back, between my wings, and forced me to double over. I wrenched my head around, a furious scowl on my face, ready to incinerate these audacious yet suicidal fools who dared to oppose me. But then I felt the pain that coursed through me recede, and I knew that my Spirit energy was finally exhausted. The transformation was ended.  
  
I slumped in the two pairs of arms, but continued to turn my head, and found myself gazing into the faces of Phil and Oraeus. Their eyes were filled with pity. Great, this was exactly what I needed, more sympathy. I hate it when people think I need their remorse. I don't need them feeling sorry for me. I broke free from their grasp, taking a few steps forward. My voice was hoarse and cracking when it finally got free of my constricting throat. "How many did we lose?"  
  
"Nine, not counting Shade."  
  
Nine were dead, and only two had been killed before Shade had fallen. The blood of seven of my own warriors was on my hands. My fists clenched, and a bitter brew of anger and self-loathing forced its way down my throat. I continued to march almost mechanically across the outcropping. Nine were dead, and Shade made ten.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Eclipse watched their leader go, his hands folded across his chest. It was ironic, when he thought about it. He had been created for the sole purpose of killing Shade, and now that he really was dead, he felt sort of... empty. As if he had lost a piece of himself, and rightly so. Shade was a part of him now, with his memories permanently burned into his mind. To find him dead was sort of like losing your past.  
  
He had originally thought he would replace Shade, but that illusion was dispelled now. Nothing and no one could replace Shade, for his memory would still remain even if a carbon copy stepped in. His thoughts, his deeds, his advice, and his actions would remain, and those things were irreplaceable. He could step into Shade's role as a Dragoon, but he would never fill the void that his death had left behind. Eclipse finally understood what it meant to be human.  
  
Kyra also watched Rayen go, but she was filled not with disdain or apprehension or pity, but a sort of strange uneasiness. There was something about the way he walked, as if he had a heavy weight resting on his shoulders. The Wingly chewed her bottom lip, wrestling with her own stubbornness. Should she reassure him, should she tell him...?  
  
Oh, to hell with him and his bloody conscience. The cold façade returned, and she spun on her heel and left.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
The shadowy winged shape slid into the air from the pile of rocks that had collected at the foot of the cliff, a bundle of black cloth clutched in its teeth. The black creature beat its wings a few times, then relaxed, letting the wind currents take it far from the place. It was pleased to have found this thing so easily. It had been afraid that one of the other pesky beings would have gotten to it first. But no, the thing it had been seeking was there and intact, found after only a momentary search. The master would be pleased.  
  
Author's Note: Chapter over. OK, for all the people that were bugging me about romance, I hope you're happy. I've been trying to put subtle hints in here and there for a long time, but I'm apparently to obvious for some people (DDX guessed it about 50 chapters ago, but he had who was digging on who reversed), but not obvious enough for others, so I decided to make it blatant. Enjoy.  
  
Anyway, I'm finally going to update LF, LS next, and then I'll work on Chapter 76. OK? Good. 


	76. Looking Ahead and Behind

Author's Note: *a series of loud bangs is heard from inside the safe, and the Barney music abruptly stops* *coughs* Good thing I brought my sledgehammer in here with me just in case.  
  
I knew you would have this sort of reaction, Aer. But don't worry, it will remain a fairly minor part of the story. , Besides, Kyra would probably rather kill Rayen than admit anything, and of course he's totally oblivious anyway. So that element probably won't develop much... unless someone else decides to meddle. *glares accusingly at a certain member of the group*  
  
Phil: *does his best to look innocent, but of course fails miserably* Who, me?  
  
*punts him towards Fifi* He's yours.  
  
Phil: Whoo!  
  
You have no idea what you're getting into, but whatever floats your boat. Six more days until I get Lost Age!  
  
Chapter 76  
  
Oraeus's voice reached Rayen's ears. "Are you all right?"  
  
His head bowed, Rayen sat against one of the cold stone walls of the citadel of the fort. "No, but I'm going to have to live with it. What do you need?"  
  
"Well, we need to figure out what we're doing next."  
  
Rayen sighed. Fighting again was the last thing on his mind. He was still having trouble getting over the last battle. To think, he would have to go through that countless more times before this damn war was over. Or until he snapped and brought the entire world crashing down around their ears, whichever came first. "I don't know. We need to know about the region. Abrian and Selari know best, go..."  
  
Abrian's voice cut him off. "We're here."  
  
Rayen glanced up for the first time, for he had been keeping his gaze firmly on the granite roof of the fort even while speaking to the half- Giganto. Abrian and Selari stood next to Oraeus, staring down at him. Rayen sighed again, and began to speak almost reluctantly. "Fine, what's our situation geographically?"  
  
Selari looked as though she was about to speak, but Abrian got there first. "Well, we're right in the middle of a mountain range that separates the two valleys on either side that the humans settle in. As I said before, this fort was originally placed here to prevent humans on both sides from communicating. We've taken care of the attack from the east, which if my guess is correct, was dispatched shortly after your troops arrived in this dimension. I seriously doubt that there is another attack coming from the west, if for no other reason than the scouts almost certainly would have seen them by now. So we can either split into two groups and go through both valleys simultaneously, or we can split into two and have one group explore one valley while the other stays behind at the fort in case the second attack does come."  
  
Rayen nodded thoughtfully. "The second option makes more sense to me. If we go in two groups, we'll have to split the Spirits too. What use is a bag of Dragoon Spirits if all of their owners are on the other side of a mountain range? It would be a colossal waste of time. But if we keep all the Spirits on one side while we visit all the human settlements, then we're certain that all the Dragoons in that area are accounted for. Plus, we'll have someone defending home base just to be on the safe side."  
  
He turned his eyes towards Oraeus, who spoke in his usual gravelly rumbling voice. "My sentiments exactly."  
  
Rayen nodded again. "Very well then. Selari, you and Sean should stay here, just in case we need a good dose of firepower back at the home front. Kyra should come with us so that we can get back quickly. Otherwise, divide them up as you see fit, and we'll leave tomorrow. We should let everyone get some rest."  
  
Selari and Abrian left, but Oraeus stayed where he was. Rayen knew what he was about to say and suddenly regained his acute interest in the granite blocks of the roof. But the half-Giganto did not leave, as Rayen had hoped he would. When he spoke, his words were much softer than usual.  
  
"It's not your fault."  
  
Rayen scoffed, but his eyes remained firmly locked on the stone beneath him. "Which particular catastrophe are we talking about?"  
  
"Any of them. There was nothing that you could have done for Shade, and that's what set off your transformation."  
  
"What about the other seven? They didn't just drop dead all of a sudden, did they?"  
  
"You lost control."  
  
This time Rayen's stare snapped upwards, and it gained that familiar icy look, burrowing deep into Oraeus's own dark brown eyes. "Are you so convinced?"  
  
"Yes, I am. I know you, Rayen, and I know what a man looks like when he's lost control. You are not to blame for this."  
  
Despite the reassurance, Rayen's tone remained acidic. "Then who else can we blame?"  
  
"The enemy. Things went beyond your control, and the enemy took advantage of that. Remember that the next time you face them. Shade is gone, but his legacy remains to help us fight on without him."  
  
In the aged warrior's words, Rayen heard an undertone of the Gigantos' ancient reverence for the dead. Somehow, that comforted him, and he felt his tensions ease. But the empty feeling he felt in the absence of the swooping anger that had released the Apocalypse Dragoon stayed, tugging at him. "But what if..."  
  
A new voice cut in. "If you go into 'what ifs', we're all already dead."  
  
Oraeus and Rayen turned, for it appeared that the Earth Dragon Knight had no better idea of this newcomer's identity than he did. Victor leaned casually against the battlement opposite the pair, freshly lit cigarette in hand, seemingly undaunted by the lethal drop that awaited him should he go too far back. Rayen was astonished, and speechless for a moment. Finally, he managed to find his voice. "Did you hear?"  
  
The Red-Eye Dragoon paused to exhale a cloud of smoke that lingered in front of his face until dissipating before he responded. "Every word, and I do so hope you don't mind. Oh wait, scratch that, I can't really say that I give a damn."  
  
Despite himself, Rayen laughed. There was something oddly relaxing about the grizzled highlander's presence and manner, although one would hardly guess it from looking at him. "Do you have any words of wisdom to add, then?"  
  
Victor took another long drag on his cigarette before answering. "Shade's dead, like it or not, and you're too important to question what you did, and besides which, it wouldn't do anything but waste your time. That's about as far as my opinion goes on the matter."  
  
Rayen laughed again, although a part of him could not understand how he could feel any real mirth, however fleeting, when he was in such a dire situation. "Fair enough."  
  
Yet another voice imposed itself on the three. "Does this mean you're finally done moping?"  
  
Phil's shoes clicked on the stone, and he leaned on his spear, a half-smirk on his face.  
  
"No, I'm going to wallow in self-pity for a little while longer, then I'll get back to you."  
  
"Damn. Oh well." Phil began to leave.  
  
"Wait for me, you moron." Rayen stood up and followed the Jade Dragoon.  
  
Watching as the pair left, Oraeus sighed heavily. "Seems to have gotten over it rather quickly, hasn't he?"  
  
Victor grunted in reply. Despite the situation, or perhaps because of it, Oraeus couldn't resist cracking a joke. "And to think people called me a primitive brute."  
  
Victor ignored the half-Giganto and spat out his cigarette, grinding it against the stone with his shoe to put it out while drawing a new one from his pocket. "For now, at least. He'll stew over it later, no doubt."  
  
"Better than the alternatives. I was afraid he'd hole himself up for days."  
  
"Nah, I would have smacked some sense into him by then."  
  
Oraeus chuckled quietly. As it had for Rayen, the lightening mood had picked his spirits up with it. Perhaps it was a sign of good things to come. Oraeus didn't truly believe in premonitions, but maybe he would be surprised.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
The shadowy wings continued to undulate in their endless cycles. The mysterious beast continued to plow through the air, its precious cargo clenched firmly in its teeth. The journey was drawing to a close. It would reach its destination soon. The winged shape sped up almost imperceptibly, yet that slight change betrayed its anticipation.  
  
Then the bundle stirred in its jaws. The creature started in surprise, and nearly lost control of his flight, only barely avoiding collision with one of the gigantic violet diamonds that hung in the air, suspended by some unknown yet powerful force. Its eyes and its attention slid down to the object in its fangs. The bundle twisted, and two folds of torn black cloth parted. Eyelids fluttered open, and a pair of brown eyes stared up at the creature. The expression in the eyes remained blank and confused for a moment, and then recognition flickered in the gaze. "Raze...roth..."  
  
The word was weak, and sounded as if it were spoken with a great deal of effort, but it was there. The Dark Dragon bowed his head once in reply, a reptilian grin crossing the intelligent face, but it was not a smirk of cunning that one usually associated with snakes or crocodiles. So the magic he had worked on the Dark Dragoon had been enough to sustain his life. He was unsure at the time, but what choice did he have. Razeroth glanced down once more in fond satisfaction at his master, then returned to his flight. He circled above the fort twice, then gently glided to a halt atop the roof.  
  
Ironically, Oraeus had been prophetic in his musings, for he was indeed greatly surprised and even more pleased to find what was in the Dark Dragon's strange bundle. Rayen turned around at the half-Giganto's cry, and saw Shade's curled-up body being lain on the stone battlement. Shade saw Rayen's face split into the look of someone who has seen an old friend after a long journey through a cold, heartless wasteland, and he instantly knew that it was all worth it, every moment of it. Shade watched as the crowd gathered around him with an inner smile, for he could not move a muscle without having a spasm of pain shoot through him. He had cheated death once again. One last thought passed through Shade's mind before he sunk back into unconsciousness.  
  
He was one lucky son of a bitch.  
  
Author's Note: HA! *bursts from the safe* Shade LIIIIVES! I fooled some of you, but others of you weren't convinced. If you people had followed Striker's insanely twisted and complex thought process, at the end of last chapter you would have thought that Shade was dead, and that the bundle the winged creature was carrying was actually the orb from the Dragon Block Staff, and that Mr. Mean and Nasty, as Fifi calls him, would be using it to rebuild the staff and use its anti-Dragoon powers and stuff. But obviously, you people don't think the way Striker does, which probably makes you better off. Shade WOULD have died, but his Dragon saved him. *pats Razeroth* Good boy. Anyway, did you people really think something as simple as falling off a cliff and being buried by boulders (hey, that's four b words in a row) could kill the Almighty Shade? Silly you. Of course not.  
  
As for updates, I'm going to update a comedy fic next, finally (it'll probably be Valley, but I'm not sure yet), and then I'm going to get up Chapter 3 of Like Father, Like Son, even though I updated it two days ago. I just can't leave you people hanging without that huge duel scene. Besides, I want to write it anyway. 


	77. Ethereal Wounds

Author's Note: That wasn't very nice, Shike... I do TOO think. Just for that, I won't update... er... which of my fics do you like most again? I'm guessing Crimson, because of all the gore and fire and pointy objects... but I just updated that. Damn. Oh well... *settles for adding Shike to the very long list of people he needs to plot creative revenge upon*  
  
Aer, I wouldn't be too worried about people being all happy-ish and stuff. Besides which, I thought you liked Shade. And if you hurt Phil, the Fifster would be very mad at you.  
  
AND DAMMIT, I'M NOT A DOG! Aer shall pay...  
  
Chapter 77  
  
The following morning, Phil woke up earliest, which would have been surprising to most until they learned that he had merely procrastinated in delivering the orders, which instantly dispelled any surprise anyone would have had on the subject. Uneasily he knocked on Kyra's door. There was a mumble from within, which he decided to take as permissive, so he opened the door. Kyra sat on the bed, already fully dressed, rubbing her eyes. "What the hell are you waking me up so early for?"  
  
"Orders. You're leaving with Rayen in a few hours to round up new recruits and take out any baddies you find."  
  
That woke the Wingly up. She shot out of the bed like a bullet, grabbing Phil by the collar. "What? Did he say why?"  
  
Phil lifted his open hands, as though he was trying to prove he wasn't a demon himself. "Hey, don't shoot the messenger. I dunno, I wasn't paying that much attention. I think he said that you could teleport the group back here if trouble comes by."  
  
Kyra relaxed, loosening her grip. "Fine. Just get out."  
  
"Going, going. Just one question, though. You sleep in your clothes?"  
  
Kyra snarled and snatched the heaviest object she could find off her dresser, hurling it at Phil's retreating form. But the projectile bounced off the wall, and the Jade Dragoon was already gone, snickering. Kyra stood, quivering with anger, seriously considering chasing down Phil and throttling him. Then she sighed, slid open her dresser drawer, and took out her Dragoon Spirit. Pummeling Phil could always wait. She had work to do.  
  
Phil knocked on Victor's door next, bracing to dodge a bullet if it should come suddenly bursting through the wood. Instead he just was forced to listen to a stream of very colorful cursing for nearly a minute straight. Finally the highlander gave him permission to enter. Phil opened the door uneasily, to find the Red-Eye glaring at him, a lit cigarette already clamped in his mouth. "What the hell is the big idea of waking me up so early? Soa, I need a drink..."  
  
"Did you make up all that cussing on the spot, because I've never heard anything like that before..."  
  
Victor's glare intensified, a. "Roughly translated from my own language. Now what the hell do you want?"  
  
"One question. How exactly would my grandmother..."  
  
"Just get on with it, already!"  
  
Phil sighed. Nobody ever told him anything. "OK. Orders came. One group is staying here, while the other..."  
  
Victor cut him off, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "I know. I was there, remember? Which one am I with?"  
  
"You're with Rayen."  
  
"Fine. But if you ever wake me up again because you're too lazy to do your job when you're told, I will be much less pleasant."  
  
"This is pleasant?"  
  
"Pleasant for me."  
  
"Ah. Of course."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
A few hours later, about six dozen Dragoons stood assembled on the fortress roof, wearing heavy clothes to break the chill wind. Rayen strode to the head of the group, looking surprised. "Well, it looks like Phil actually did his job for once."  
  
Victor snorted. "Yeah, about twenty minutes before we got here."  
  
"Now that sounds more like Phil. Speaking of which, he's late."  
  
Suddenly, Rayen felt something loop around his ankle and jerk backwards, accompanied by a hard shove between his shoulder blades. "Am not."  
  
Rayen landed on his hands, and did an awkward somersault, back on his feet again in a moment, glaring at the grinning Jade Dragoon. "First time for everything, I suppose."  
  
"Oh, is that the best you could come up with? You're losing your touch."  
  
"Keep in mind that there are ladies present."  
  
Phil feigned shock. "Really? Where? I thought they were endangered."  
  
Rayen raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so now you're suicidal?"  
  
Phil shrugged. "I figure I'm gonna get what's coming to me eventually anyway, so why bother lying low?"  
  
"To live long enough to be able to drink?"  
  
"Oh yeah. Forgot about that."  
  
Victor spat out his cigarette, pulling a fresh one from a pack in his pocket. "I'm sure you two would love to just stand there and shoot your mouths off at each other for eternity, but we have a job to do."  
  
Phil sighed with regret. "Fine, fine. I was on a roll, though..."  
  
The highlander lit the new cigarette and exhaled deeply. "You'll have plenty of time. We'll be flying for a while."  
  
Then seventy-two Dragoons Spirits burst into various dazzling magical displays, and the glittering winged warriors kicked off the cold stone, soaring into the boundless sky. In formation they flew, like a multicolored flock of geese, with Rayen at the head and a Dragon at both sides and one at the rear, all three laden with a week's supplies. They emerged from the dismal clouds of mist that hung over the mountains, out into the open air. Rayen relished flight and its absolute limitlessness, and from the content sighs and whoops from those behind him, he deduced that his fellows felt the same way. They continued on, the feel of the wind and the sun temporarily relieving their worries.  
  
But after a while Rayen noticed that something was not right. The air seemed almost thin in places, but how could air be thin? It made no sense, so Rayen shook it off as nerves and tried to enjoy the ride. But the odd quality remained. Pieces of the sky began to shimmer, and looked almost as if they were about to tear at the seams. But air had no seams...  
  
But rip it did. A gaping hole opened right before him. The Guardian Dragoon veered, breaking off his course. He could not see behind him, but he hoped the others had followed. He noticed the Spirit on his chest flare in surprise, but he somehow sensed that the shock came not from one of the gods that resided in the crystal, but both. "What's going on?" Rayen demanded of the gem.  
  
"It has begun," intoned a calm, gentle, and wise voice, so different from the harsh, mocking tones of the Murderer.  
  
The initial surprise at hearing the Creator speaking for the first time wore off quickly, and he was growing irritated with vague answers from either of the entities. "Well, would you mind letting me in on exactly what that entails?"  
  
"This conflict is speeding steadily towards its resolution."  
  
"And what precisely does that have to do with huge holes appearing in midair?"  
  
"They are gates between this world and all of the countless others that exist, just beyond your grasp, until now."  
  
"Like the portal that we used to get here?"  
  
"Correct. That portal, in fact, is the source of all this. The magical fabric that holds worlds apart is only strong enough to separate them. That disturbance has disrupted it. We both knew that this could result if one was opened, but I doubt that the Murderer believed that it would happen this soon."  
  
"But the portal was closed..."  
  
"It makes no difference. Think of the fabric like a pond. If you toss a stone in, the ripples will continue, even after the cause has ceased."  
  
"I gather that this should be stopped. But how?"  
  
"You must shut that off." Obviously, the Creator had no arms to indicate what he spoke of, but Rayen's eyes were suddenly drawn to the purple diamonds that floated higher than they in the sky, just as one of the strange bolts of lightning rocketed from one to the next.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"The cause of all of this."  
  
"Would you mind clarifying it a bit more, or are we back to not telling me anything?"  
  
"I have told you all that you require to know, at least for now. More shall be made clear as becomes necessary. In the meantime, you may find a way to turn these gates to your advantage."  
  
"How?"  
  
"You're a resourceful boy. One of the many reasons this task was bestowed upon you."  
  
The last comment had a very final tone to it, and Rayen decided to give up on any further attempts to press for information he obviously wasn't going to receive. He puzzled over the dilemma he faced for a moment. Then inspiration struck him, as if he had stood between two of the strange objects in the sky and been jolted by lightning. He halted and made a quick about-face, and saw all of the Dragoons dutifully tagging along behind him. He made a gesture and began to spiral down to the earth. His warriors plunged after him without a word of inquiry. They all knew when their leader had a plan.  
  
When everyone was looking at him expectantly, Rayen spoke. "All right. These holes may look pretty damn weird, but they might just be our keys to pulling one hell of a rabbit out of the hat. If this works right, we won't even need those extra hundred Dragoons."  
  
Now everyone was rapt with attention. Good, that was just what he wanted. "Kyra, I need you to take us back home."  
  
The Violet Dragoon's face took on an expression of incredulity. "What for? We just left."  
  
"Change of plans. We're done beating around the bush."  
  
The skeptical look faded, replaced with a rare smile, and the Wingly drew the Dragoons back to their makeshift home along the current of magic. Their river was diverted, for now, but it was beginning to gather both speed and fury, and soon it would overwhelm their foes.  
  
Author's Note: *smashes writer's block with his trusty sledgehammer* After two months, it's finally finished. Anyway, you can tell we're getting close to the end, thankfully. I've recently had two great ideas for new fics, but I don't want to start a new one until after this is done with. So I'm going to temporarily shove everything else on the backburner and keep updating this until it's done with. I now know why novel authors usually write two or three drafts of an entire book, because the first one ends up being total CRAP the first time through. But regardless, it's done, and the next one should be updated before Monday, when I'm leaving on a five-day trip to Washington, D.C. Striker gets to visit the Smithsonian, and see all of the confiscated weaponry in the Spy Museum... *drools* 


	78. Beginning of the End

Author's Note: I'm back! Just when you thought it was safe...  
  
Me? Steal weaponry? *shocked look* Nah, I didn't steal anything, mostly because those supposed cases of confiscated stuff from terrorists never existed. Although there were a couple of pistols disguised as weird things like lipstick tubes, a car with those tire-slashing blades and machine guns, and a few ninja swords, so I wasn't totally disappointed.  
  
Striker do too think! No Apoccy for Shike! *sticks tongue out at Shike*  
  
And who says there won't be any epic battles and whatnot? We may be getting closer to the end, but it's still at least 7 or 8 chapters off or so... It's funny, because I only expected this fic to go for about 50 chapters. Guess that idea was shot straight to hell, right?  
  
Chapter 78  
  
Rayen did not sleep well that night. He awoke in a cold sweat, but he could not remember what he had dreamt that had caused him such terror. Unless it wasn't a dream that made his insides squirm like this. This was supposed to have gone away. Of course, the Murderer was probably just toying with his mind, just to goad him into making a mistake.  
  
Not even gods could predict the future, could they? If the two celestial entities already knew the outcome of this war before the end, then why would the loser continue to fight? No, this was just another sick mind game. But it felt just as real, no matter how much logic convinced him to the contrary. This premonition hung above him like a dark cloud, or like a thick blanket, smothering...  
  
Death. After Shade's unexpected return, Rayen thought that the constant weight of the visions would alleviate. But he had not been so lucky. If it had not been Shade's death he had foreseen, then whose was it? Rayen mentally shook himself. He was being stupid, this was just the crystal getting to his head. He couldn't let the stone's whisperings preoccupy him so much that he lost track of his true objectives. By the Divine Creator, he had come to far to lose it all now.  
  
Rayen detected footsteps echoing off the stone floor, along with a strange ringing clank that Rayen was sure came from metal. Suspecting an attack, he whirled around, only to be faced with Oraeus. The half-Giganto had his axe in hand, propped against his shoulder. Beside him was Phil, who also had his weapon in his grasp, the point held toward the floor, which explained the odd clanging. The Jade Dragoon folded his arms impatiently, glaring at Rayen. "Well? Are you coming or what?"  
  
Rayen blinked for a moment. His vision seemed clouded, but by what he could not guess. "Hmm? Oh... yeah, of course. Come on."  
  
Rayen set out for the roof of the fortress, the two other Dragoons in tow. Atop the squat mountain citadel, his army stood assembled before him, albeit somewhat untidily. Rayen looked out upon them, and he was suddenly struck by how small the crowd seemed, less than two hundred. Perhaps he should have continued on with their gathering of reinforcements, at least then they would have a decent force to stand up to those hordes. But no, it wouldn't have made a difference. These new portals put a whole new spin on things, and Rayen had to seize hold of the opportunity before they could find a way around it.  
  
That is, if the insane plan he had concocted would even work.  
  
But second-guessing would only sow seeds of doubt, seeds that would make him vulnerable. If he was vulnerable, the Murderer would have no qualms in exploiting that for his own gains, maybe even releasing the terrible power within the gem he held. He wasn't sure what the Apocalypse Dragoon could do when unleashed with no other targets to draw his eye. Even if the casualties were only minor, he was not sure how many his already meager band could afford to lose.  
  
By this point, Rayen realized that everyone was staring at him, waiting. He took out the Prism Spirit, but before he could activate it, his eyes began to cloud over again, and he felt them rolling back into his head. Dimly, he wondered if the visions were in a particularly strong insurgence, causing him to go into some sort of fit. Several of the Dragoons looked over at him in concern. Phil, who was standing next to Rayen, displayed an unusual aptitude in perception, noticing that things were quickly going downhill. Nudging the Guardian Dragoon in the ribs, he whispered harshly. "Get a grip, Sleeping Beauty!"  
  
Rayen's gaze refocused, and he blinked a few times. Regaining control, he glanced quickly around and suppressed an urge to ask Phil where they were. Judging by the anxious manner in which many of his warriors were gazing at him, they were afraid that he might be unwell. Rayen didn't want the mission aborted in fear of him collapsing or some ridiculous idea like that. There was no chance he was going to blow their only chance before they even got off base. He poured his mind into the gem in his palm, and breathed a deep inward sigh of relief, as the stream of magical energy remained in the usual myriad of colors, rather than turning to the seething mass of black and gray.  
  
The fighters before him quickly followed suit and the last bastion of hope for Endiness, and quite possibly all of Creation took flight from a small granite castle nestled in a mountain range in a world which served as a breeding ground for an unnatural swarm bent on the destruction of all life. Rayen's plan was simple; by travelling through the holes, it should allow them to cross a great distance in mere seconds, where they would engage in hit-and-run guerilla tactics when the enemy wasn't expecting to be attack for weeks. Of course, a number of things could go very wrong, one of the many reasons Rayen wanted to test this theory as soon as possible. For instance, each portal could correspond to a particular area on another world, which of course would render the whole plan useless. It was also dangerous to believe that they could pass through a portal and expect to appear on the world that they wanted, even after several tries. There was no telling how many of these alternate worlds existed, and they might be wandering forever before they found the correct planet, and by then, it would naturally be too late. Besides, there was no insurance that the worlds they intruded upon would be friendly towards their cause. They had to be ready for outside resistance as well.  
  
Rayen approached the nearest portal, a door-sized gateway shifting between black, white, and an odd iridescent silver-like color, making it impossible to see what world awaited them. Regardless, Rayen plowed through without hesitation. He felt a peculiar sensation, as if there was a wave rippling beneath his skin. Then, he reemerged, looking down at the landscape before. He recognized it with an odd pang. He had seen this before, even from above in planes. Phil, who had remained just behind Rayen, gasped at the sight. "It's Serdio... look, there's Bale, and Indels Castle. We could probably see home if we went a bit farther..."  
  
Rayen shook his head sadly. "No, Phil. At least not unless the portals in our direct path don't lead to the right place. Besides, it's not like our parents could see us from here."  
  
"I wouldn't bet on it. As soon as a stray traffic copter gets a glimpse of us, we'll be all over the news. That clip will be repeated at least a thousand times in twenty different languages before tonight is over."  
  
Rayen couldn't resist a grin at that. "True enough."  
  
Once he was sure the entire mass of Dragoons could see him, Rayen dived sharply, casting his gaze about for another portal. He found a dark spot among the sky, that quickly faded away, now inconspicuous against the clouds. Rayen could have just imagined it, but he suspected it had just phased into a color that blended in with the sky. Sure enough, soon the same area turned white against the dark and foreboding storm clouds that hung over the Serdian capital. Beating his bat-like wings to gain altitude, Rayen waved his arm above his head to indicate his direction.  
  
Rayen felt the same shivering sensation beneath his skin again, and as he opened his eyes, he saw a familiar land, blanketed in snow, with the strange violet diamonds in the sky. He shouted loudly, hoping his voice would carry over the rush of the wind. "I need Abrian and Selari!"  
  
The two natives powered to the head of the group, falling in next to Rayen. "Do either of you know this scenery?"  
  
Selari shook her head furiously, her red mane tossing haphazardly in the wind. "No. Do you, Abe?"  
  
"No, but we've never been out of the valley before, and this is definitely our planet."  
  
Rayen wasn't as convinced. "Could another world have those diamonds?"  
  
Abrian seemed more confident in his response to this inquiry. "No. Those only appeared when they came."  
  
"How do you know that? They appeared a thousand years ago, right?"  
  
"Yeah, but there have been all sorts of stories about our world before the demons came. They're supposed to make us confident that it won't last forever. Of course it didn't work, but we appreciated the effort," Abrian said, with a sardonic smile.  
  
Rayen nodded, satisfied. "All right, then, as long as we know we're in the right place."  
  
Keeping his eyes focused along the ground, he flew lower to escape the obstructing clouds. Selari pointed down. "Speak of the devil. Or devils, if you want to get technical."  
  
Once the mist no longer obscured his vision, Rayen quickly spotted a large black mass making its way along the snow-blanketed landscape. As the Guardian Dragoon glided lower, he could pick out individual rows in the throng. They obviously did not notice the Dragoons above, for they continued along the monotonous course instead of scattering. Rayen nodded. "Right. Selari, since you saw them first, why don't you announce us?"  
  
Selari's grin looked almost demonic itself. "Gladly. I've been waiting for this."  
  
Rayen felt the energy in the air, the clouds, and indeed each of them, being sucked toward Selari's outstretched arm. He felt slightly lightheaded, but he knew from his experiences with Sean that the feeling would pass after the discharge. He saw the trademark blue-white glow out of the corner of his eye. When Selari shouted, he detected a hint of actual glee. Apparently, she really was eager for revenge. "Divine Dragon Cannon!"  
  
The beam sliced through the black columns, and the survivors ran in every direction in hope that they would provide a smaller target. But there was to be no escape. The Dragoons descended on them like a flock of multicolored, glittering falcons, bearing swift death in their claws. The battle was quick and almost totally free of injury, with only a few clumsy counterstrikes, easily mended afterwards. This was going as well as Rayen had dared to hope. Everything seemed to fall into place at once.  
  
Rayen could not remember being happier since they had passed through the portal above the Divine Tree. Shortly after the fight, Phil approached him, also wearing a grin, although he rarely was seen without one. "So, what now?"  
  
"We do it again. It has been approximately seventeen minutes since we left the fortress. We repeat the pattern until we run out of Spirit. Then we rest, and do it again tomorrow. Hopefully we can get rid of as many divisions as possible before they can figure out what's going on and pull back."  
  
"Sounds good to me. Speaking of which, Sean already found another portal over there. Should we use that one?"  
  
"One is as good as another, I suppose. But let's go. Every second's worth of Spirit counts."  
  
"Right."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"The human is more resourceful than even I predicted. He has turned the portals to an end that I had not foreseen."  
  
"What should we do, lord?"  
  
"Inform all divisions within a day's march to retreat. In the meantime, find that infernal boy and tell him to get his troops in line. If he refuses, have him brought to me. Forcefully, if need be."  
  
The messenger choked. "Forcefully? Can that even be done?"  
  
"You were not given this post to question my orders. Now carry them out. Unless you would prefer to go back to your original position in a fighting division."  
  
The courier's cowardice came first and foremost in his actions, so he saw no further need to inquire into his master's motives. He hurried out, the massive obsidian doors slamming shut behind him.  
  
Author's Note: X_x Long chapter, by Rebirth's standards. I've been back since Saturday, but it took me a while. In any case, if anybody wants to know what I'm going to take up after Rebirth's done, I've got fics I'm planning on starting listed in my profile, I'll maybe add a bit more detail if I feel it won't give away the plots. 


	79. Hostility

Author's Note: Remember those good old days when I updated once every three days? Yes, I know it's been forever, but I've been either grounded or busy or stuck for the past month. Sue me.  
  
Oh, and the prologue was just a legend. In actuality, as I have mentioned, Dragoon Spirits cannot be destroyed. They probably just hid them somewhere or something. Yeah.  
  
Sequel? I've thought about it, but if there is a sequel, it won't be for a while. I've got a whole lot of ideas that I want to try out, as I've mentioned, along with one that's not on my profile because it's a really cool idea but I'm not sure if I could make a good story out of it. I'm going to try out a few new ideas before I even consider doing a Rebirth sequel.  
  
Chapter 79  
  
Rayen once again felt the peculiar shivering sensation as he passed through the ethereal space between dimensions. When he emerged from the portal, he glanced around. He seemed to be in an endless expanse of sky. No matter how hard he strained his eyes, he could not detect earth below them. Rayen felt a huge weight press down on his back, and had to beat his wings harder to stay aloft. The gravity must have been stronger on this planet. Perhaps this was an entirely gaseous planet, large enough to have a strong gravitational pull.  
  
As he continued to fight his way through the hazy air and the strong gravity, he caught glimpses of strange spherical objects before him. His curiosity piqued, he accelerated slightly, just enough to get closer without flying out of the others' ranges of vision, which was slightly obscured by the thick atmosphere. When he began to spot pinpricks of light from inside the globes, he realized with a jolt what these objects were. Gargantuan floating cities loomed out of the mist, encased in shells of glass.  
  
There were several other gasps of awe from behind him as his followers came into view of the enormous metropolises suspended in an almost ghostlike manner. Rayen had to admit that they were quite imposing. The glass domes extended from a base of steel, beneath which three oblong pods pulsed with whatever alien energy kept the huge spheres aloft. But inside the dome, a miniature world loomed, with skyscrapers, homes, commercial areas, and even small parks. Countless more of these pocket universes lay just beyond the first, and they stretched beyond what the eye could see.  
  
Rayen heard Phil's voice, but it seemed hushed, almost as if he were afraid to disrupt the grave serenity of this world. "Now that is cool."  
  
Rayen privately agreed, and found himself reluctant to abandon this place without further study, but somebody had to keep his mind on the mission. He spotted another gate slightly below the base of the nearest city, and headed for it, wings straining under the immense pull. Heat was obviously a byproduct of whatever energy powered the cities, and sweat began to roll down Rayen's face. But soon he was through the portal, and the blast of heat was gone.  
  
When he reemerged, the new landscape that stretched before him was immensely different from the last. The earth was rust red and cracked, with the unmistakable glow of magma pulsing from within. Smothering heat rose from the ground in shimmering waves that distorted the air. Rayen was surprised that they could manage to breathe the fumes of this planet, as he suspected it would normally be toxic. Perhaps the armor protected them, in some method he couldn't fathom. No intelligent life was visible on this planet, but Rayen could have sworn he had caught glimpses of pairs of eyes gleaming from the molten rock churning just beneath the planet's surface more than once. Maybe a distortion caused by the heat, but Rayen still wanted to be on guard.  
  
No portal could be seen in their immediate surroundings, so Rayen was forced to continue moving. Fortunately, the sky of this world had a faint greenish cast, so a gate would be easy enough to spot. Rayen kept uneasily glancing toward the barren, cracked surface. Something about this place didn't feel right. He didn't find any more eyes gazing at them from the lava, and a part of his mind stubbornly maintained he was acting like a damn fool, but he still half expected something to pounce at them at any moment.  
  
Without warning, a forceful gale of superheated air caught him head on. He closed his eyes to keep out the stinging wind, raising his arms to shield his unprotected face. The rampant gale tossed him this way and that, finally throwing him into a complete somersault. As he tumbled over and over himself, Rayen struggled to right himself and regain his bearings. When the scalding zephyr finally abated, Rayen opened his eyes tentatively. The Dragoons were scattered from their formerly tight ranks, still reeling from the force of the whirlwind. Without any sort of landmarks to navigate by on the ravaged land beneath him, any hope of picking up their former course was nearly extinct.  
  
Birathion was released from its sheath with a grating rustle. This was far too coincidental. Rayen no longer attempted to delude himself into thinking nothing was wrong. Everything about this place suddenly took on an underlying, sinister vibe. The green heavens seemed venomous, and the pulsing pyres of molten stone seemed like maleficent gates giving him a glimpse into the hell that beckoned to him, reaching out, grasping for his blood...  
  
Rayen felt the presence behind him an instant before it was too late. Whipping around, he saw nothing but a pair of huge jaws gaping wide with needle-sharp fangs as long as his arm. Beating his wings frantically, he shot out of the way like a bullet a millisecond before the jaws snapped shut with a force that would have separated Rayen's torso from his shoulders.  
  
Now that the mouth was closed, Rayen found himself gazing into the eyes of a titanic blood-red snake, at least a hundred feet long, with scales the size of his head and sulfuric yellow eyes with catlike pupils. A trio of arrows immediately lodged themselves in the beast, a fourth bouncing off the scales with a hollow metallic ring, like the striking of a gong. Several yells rang out, and Rayen turned to see several more snakes bursting from the cracks in the earth. They were fireproof, then. Two, four, eight, twelve, Rayen finally counted twenty.  
  
Rayen sucked in his breath and bellowed, hoping everyone could hear him. "Split up! Don't provide an easy target! Conserve your magic, fire won't work!"  
  
Rayen noticed Dawn, Victor, and Oraeus coming to assist him, along with about half a dozen others. The gigantic reptile bunched itself up to strike, then lashed out like a whip. Rayen rolled to the left, then struck with his blade. Although the snake's scales were tough enough to repel an arrow, the Protector sliced through them with little difficulty, bringing forth a spatter of mottled green blood. Glancing away from the creature for as quickly as he dared, he saw that Dawn and Oraeus were forced to use the thrusting tips of their weapons instead of the slashing edges to get through the armor. The magical sword certainly made things a lot easier.  
  
A loud bang rang above the clamor of battle, and the snake let out an unearthly wail, a neat hole in the center of its eye. Looking to the source of the noise, Rayen saw Victor cocking back his gun for another shot, taking careful aim with a grim, hardened expression. Because his Dragoon transformation turned his bullets to magical bolts of fire, normally a bonus but actually a hindrance against these heat-impervious enemies, he had not stood by on the sidelines but instead took out the only areas vulnerable to his weapon, blinding the foe in the process. Rayen admired his ingenuity. The gun resounded once more, putting out the other eye, and the unfortunate monster emitted another high-pitched shriek and began to thrash about wildly, exhaling clouds of flame haphazardly.  
  
Seizing the crazed reptile by the neck, Dawn and Oraeus held it still. Taking the hint, Rayen planted his feet firmly on the beast's nose, driving Birathion straight between the two now defunct eyes, piercing through the skull and into the brain. The scaly body gave a tremendous shiver, then fell limp. Dawn and Oraeus dropped the dead snake, where it fell to the ground with an earthshaking crash, and retrieved their weapons from the Dragoons they had entrusted them with. The Dragoons split up in search of new targets.  
  
It wasn't long before Dawn found herself in trouble. She drifted and wove before the triangular head of the snake, commanding its attention, occasionally diving in and jabbing its neck with the tip of the crescent- moon-shaped head of her berdiche. The monster breathed a burst of flame, forcing the Silver Dragoon to roll over to avoid being fried. When she reoriented herself, the creature was nowhere to be seen. Turning her head frantically, she saw nothing. There was a faint hiss behind her, and she whipped around to see the snake staring her right in the face, its tawny eyes gleaming with undisguised triumph. There was no time to move.  
  
But before the teeth slammed shut, she was hauled away from certain death. Phil was there, irrepressible grin and all. "We'll talk about the reward later."  
  
In spite of the situation, she slapped him. If nothing else, his smile grew even wider. He was obviously accustomed to this reaction. "Such ingratitude. You'd think I suggested something indecent. We could just get dinner or something."  
  
She squirmed out of his arms, and flew off. Phil chuckled once more, then looped back around and re-engaged the foe from which he had rescued the Silver Dragoon. "Okay, Gruesome," he instructed. "Watch the pretty green birdie." Looping around the monstrosity in lazy circles, baiting it into striking. Whenever it nipped at him, he taunted it by outpacing it easily with bursts of speed. Finally, he sped straight at the creature. "Open wide!" The beast complied, stretching its orifice wide, ready to swallow the Jade Dragoon whole...  
  
...Only to find a six-foot long shaft of wood with a barbed tip shoved down its esophagus.  
  
The snake gagged, its throat constricting around the spear, and attempted to shake Phil off. But the cunning dragoon wedged his feet against the jaws, keeping them open. He could hear bile and vomit welling up in its closed airway, cutting off its breath. The whipping about grew even more frantic, but Phil was relentless, grabbing onto one of the massive fangs with his free hand. Finally, it suffocated, and Phil jerked his weapon free, the head covered in some viscous substance reeking of rotten eggs. He wiped it off, thankful he was wearing gauntlets.  
  
"Just a little trick I picked up from the anorexics,' Phil cracked, despite the fact that nobody else could hear him.  
  
The rest of the battle went mostly the same way. Blinded by Victor's ruthless trigger finger, the enemy eventually succumbed to the countless jabs and arrows, although Birathion's keen edge speeded up the process considerably. Fortunately, there were no casualties, although many suffered burns from the reptiles' flaming breath. Now more of the healing magic would be wasted treating those, Rayen mused unhappily. Of course, he had not forgotten the possibility of hostile alien life, but actually coming in contact with it complicated matters somewhat. The final confrontation could very well come in the next couple of days, and if their magic ran out, they would almost certainly be slaughtered.  
  
But there was no use crying over spilt milk, as the saying went. Gathering up his army, he led them onward until they reached a portal. They were not accosted again, and Rayen assumed they had inadvertently stumbled upon a nest or something of the sort. He poked his head through to make certain it was not the one from which they had come, and found that he was looking out on Abrian and Selari's world. Better yet, another rank of ant-sized black spots was moving against the seemingly endless carpet of snow. Pulling back out to beckon his forces toward the gate, he plunged back through, sword at his side and three hundred winged warriors at his back.  
  
Author's Note: There. Done, finally. Thought I'd throw in a little something new to break up the monotony. Next update will be quicker, I promise, because we're closing in on the end, and I know what happens there. I'd guess that there are about 6 or 7 chapters left, 10 at most. Hopefully I'll get another chapter up before I leave next week. 


	80. Failure

Author's Note: This chapter, again, is told from Rayen's POV.  
  
Chapter 80  
  
The attack, if one could even call it that, went off without a hitch. In reality, it was more of a rout, with our weapons practically already impaling them before they were even aware of our presence. Despite myself, I felt elated in that easy victory, the adrenaline dancing through my veins. Everything was going according to my plan; even the snakes were only a minor hitch, and one that I had foreseen in any case. But what worried me most was the invisible clock silently ticking away as our Spirit energy slowly drained. If we ended up not having enough time left to get through the final confrontation, then we would have to spend the night both resting and sparring to regain enough power to fuel the gemstones for the terminal battle we all knew was imminent. During that period we would be woefully vulnerable, and I believed that as soon as the armor faded, we might as well be wearing giant bull's-eyes on our backs.  
  
But we were nearly finished. From what the Dragons had told me, when they had gone to get a bird's eye view on the area, hiding in cloud banks for cover, there was only one group left, off to the east. All others had retreated back to their headquarters by this time. But the remaining faction was the largest of any that we had faced since switching to the portal-hopping strategy. They weren't far, maybe a day's flight, but we would almost positively run out of Spirit by then. So we had to stick to jumping through the gates and hope for the best.  
  
I saw Phil fly up alongside me again, as he had several times before. "She's staring at you again," he said, in a low tone. I let out a barely contained sigh of agitation. I didn't bother to ask whom he was talking about. "You sound like a broken record. If your accounts are correct, she's been staring at me for the past four days. If that's the case, then the wind damage has probably blinded her by now anyway."  
  
Phil breathed his own exasperated exhalation, coupled with a slow shaking of his head. "You are so out of touch. Besides, who uses records anymore?"  
  
I snorted, my voice laced with irritation. "ME out of touch? Kyra has to look in one direction, doesn't she? Has the idea that we're in a different dimension, slipping through holes in the fabric between worlds in order to defeat a demonic army bent on the destruction of all life, inexorably heading towards the climactic conflict that will decide the fate of all of creation even remotely crossed your mind?"  
  
"Yeah... so?"  
  
My eyes rolled skyward, which was invisible through the ever-present blanket of clouds. The enormous violet 'harvesters', as Abrian and Selari had called them, were more active than ever, and that fact alone was enough to quench the previous giddiness battle had bestowed upon me. The Creator had called them the source of all of our troubles during our brief conversation. But what was so ominous about a flock of lightning beacons, despite who had set them up. The deity had seen no purpose in explaining to me why these things were so dangerous, or what they did, or how they did it. Gods, I mused testily. They're like candles. Sometimes they can cast a light that saves your life, but as often as not it seems that the glow leaves more shadows than it dispelled.  
  
"You know, Phil, if I didn't know better, I'd say you have a one-track mind."  
  
"Why, thank you."  
  
I twisted my head towards him, a grin creeping across my face. "You didn't let me finish. But now I know for sure that you have a NO-track mind."  
  
With that verbal barb delivered, I turned my sight back to our course. I didn't need to see Phil to know the expression on his face as he muttered sulkily. I had seen it so many times before that I could picture it in my mind instantly. I cupped my hand to one ear in a slightly smug manner, feigning deafness. "What was that?"  
  
Phil lapsed into moody silence. Obviously, none of the retorts he thought up were good enough. With the Jade Dragoon's ego cut down to size, I returned to my own private thoughts.  
  
Of course, I could just be nuts, and the voices I heard from the crystal currently residing in the centerpiece of the multicolored shell of the Guardian Dragoon were merely a product of my mind cracking under the stress of saving this planet, my own, and maybe countless others. If only it were that easy, but I would have to sink into some serious denial before I could convince myself to believe something like that. Of course, do crazy people really believe that they are insane? Or am I just making excuses, trying to escape all of this confusion and doubt before...  
  
...Before what?  
  
That sinister question trailed off in my mind as we passed through the first portal. I scarcely had time to study the world we were in before we entered another. First we saw a barren desert, with anthropoid creatures riding on giant six-legged beasts with shaggy green manes that nearly brushed the sand. Next, a massive ocean that stretched far past what any eyes could see, be they human or Wingly or Dragon, with tiny lights that winked up from the depths, of what we could only guess were huge underwater metropolises. Then we were among mountains so tall that the air was almost too thin to breathe, each breath becoming a personal battle against Death itself. They gazed upon a chocolate-brown planet riddled with craters, as miniscule soot-black dwarf-like creatures sat astride enormous crimson ants who tore tunnels through the earth with their gigantic mandibles as if the sun-baked crust of rock were no more than a thin sheet of paper. Finally, an almost human-like city where hulking, blue, one-eyed creatures at least eight feet tall jabbed in their direction with pudgy, three-fingered hands, jabbering in an unknown tongue from which only one thing was discernable: fear. Apparently that idea was universal, I surmised grimly.  
  
Finally, we were back in the world we had come to know as one much like our own, the planet Selari and Abrian called Kidur. Yet again, the unit we were pursuing lie within our range of vision. Either each world had a corresponding point on another, or there were much fewer portals than the Creator's speech had led me to believe.  
  
Words echoed in my head, neither male nor female, human nor Wingly, quiet as a whisper and yet infinitely loud. I was still pondering how that was possible when then the Creator had finished speaking. "The latter is correct. But the disturbances will only grow greater. The Murderer's last great plan is showing total disregard for the order of the universe. Therefore, it must be stopped before all will cease to exist."  
  
I thought, hoping the Creator could hear. "But will Endiness be reborn again, as the old legends believed?"  
  
"No. There are many, many others almost identical to Endiness, so many that it will take the Murderer a long, long time to destroy them all, even if this plot succeeds. But Endiness as you know it will be gone forever."  
  
Countless thousands of years, wiped from life, with no one to remember that they existed at all. I'd be damned before I let that happen without one hell of a fight. "But, couldn't you recreate it?"  
  
"Of course I could. I could make another Endiness, another Serdio, and another Rayen O'Connor if I wished. I could recreate every world the Murderer destroyed exactly as it was. But I won't. Think of me as a scientist, with life as my grand experiment. I am impartial to the outcome, merely from what I can learn in the process. What would be the purpose of trying an experiment again, with no variables different from the last? It would always end with the same result."  
  
I was getting angry now. We were talking about people, histories, and cultures being annihilated, not some cricket in a bottle with a few scraps of grass. "Then why should you bother helping us? Why fight for what you do not care about?"  
  
That had been a serious mistake. The Creator's rage boomed around me like the simultaneous death of a million suns. I felt no pain, but the sheer volume shook me, and I would not care to consider attempting getting the god angry again. "I do not care? Do not attempt to accuse me of neglect! I created this world, and yours, and others in quantities beyond your comprehension! But they all sprang from me, and therefore are a piece of me. I am in every blade of grass, every child who dreams of something more, and in all the planets themselves! Countless young are taken from life far too early, and I mourn every one. Innumerable wars are fought, and I stand among the remains and I grieve. You, who have more powers than any mortal has ever achieved, cannot begin to understand more than a tiny, insignificant fraction of what creation is. But as I create, my creations must eventually be destroyed. You of all people, who has experienced death and returned to the living nearly unscathed, should understand more than any that nothing lasts forever. Your world is just one among the many that is approaching its twilight. I cannot save them all, as much as watching a part of myself dwindle away tears at my soul."  
  
"You never answered my question," I thought somewhat tentatively, as I was still reeling from the intense fury that still reverberated in my skull.  
  
"As I mentioned, the Murderer has broken the rules that even we followed, until now. I must intervene before..."  
  
My pulse rattled as I remembered a faint echo of myself asking the same question, with the same doubt. "Before what, and who created rules that gods must follow?"  
  
"We know not. They have been in place since we first became aware, eons past measuring ago. Although we have far more understanding than you or any of my creations will ever obtain, both my twin and I have limits, both in our power and our knowledge, although to you both are so vast they might as well be infinite. Who can create a god when nothing else exists, and who can limit them? I cannot say."  
  
"But then how can the Murderer break these laws, and why can that happen and go unpunished?"  
  
"It is our fundamental instinct to attempt to surpass each other, and it was only a matter of time before one of us tested these edicts. But I do not doubt that his acts will result in retribution. What consequences might come, I do not dare to guess. But in the end this is merely what we have been doing for inestimable epochs, one counteracting the other's actions. But now we have escalated it to a scale that may be far too dangerous. But if I do nothing but repair the damage, then it will spur the Murderer on to larger schemes. No, there must be a way to keep us from pushing too far. But it is up to you to discover it."  
  
"Me? You want an insignificant little mortal like me?"  
  
"Perhaps I will recreate this world after its destruction, and pick a less sarcastic youth as the Guardian next time."  
  
"We're not quite dead yet. Besides, somebody's got to give you grief."  
  
"I suppose anything's better than hearing my sibling's jests for an eternity."  
  
"Yeah, I've noticed that he's got quite a perverse sense of humor."  
  
The Creator did not respond, nor did the divinity say anything further, even after I had reached out. I figured that I had been told all that was necessary. Fine, then. We were approaching the final horde, and I had to be focused solely on battle. If past experiences would hold true, it should be a breeze.  
  
The swarm halted suddenly, and did not still as the Dragoons neared. I guessed that they were setting up camp. I wondered why, for the sun was just beginning to slink beneath the mountains on one side of the cluster of goons, and from what I knew about our enemies, they required less rest than we did. No tents or other shelters were set up, so I assumed the Murderer had made them resistant to Kidur's winter. But if they were sleeping, it would make this massacre even easier. They would be dead before they woke up. Not as if they were truly alive, but that was another matter entirely, and I didn't want to bother debating philosophy again after I had been sufficiently mystified by the Creator's words.  
  
Silent as owls, the Dragoons dove to earth, weapons drawn in the single noise of their descent, a steely rustle, not loud enough to wake our enemies, but even if it had, it could easily have been mistaken for a stray gust of wind. In any case, the fight was over almost as soon as it had begun. They were woken by Victor's first shot, but already nearly decimated by that point, and too disorganized to put up any sort of resistance. Within moments we stood, our work finished, out in the snowfield as the sun's last light turned the powder red beneath our feet like the blood of our vanquished enemies, alone.  
  
Or so we thought.  
  
Too late, I saw the dark shape loom from between two peaks. Seven cat-eye pupils gleamed from the growing twilight. It was all a trap, like a gambit in some massive chess game, and I had been the amateur player who had foolishly seized the bait, thinking myself invincible once being given a few gratuitous pawns to feed my ego. I should have known better, after all we had been through, but the enemy had anticipated my weaknesses yet again, and prepared accordingly, walking right into their grasp. I shouted, hoping the noise would alert the others and give them time to scatter before...  
  
This time, unfortunately, I knew what came next. The brilliant cerulean beam cut through the dusk, taking several warriors with it. I pulled the argent hilt of the Dragon Buster from my belt; the flaming blade flickered into golden life before the magic of the Guardian Dragoon shifted the fires to a bright azure hue. Not that it mattered much. The Divine Dragon itself was a forfeit, not expecting to cause any more damage beyond the initial cannon while he still possessed the lethal relic. Its entire purpose was to take out as many Dragoons as it could, whittling down their numbers to the point where they would lack the magical power to sufficiently destroy the rest of the foe that lay in wait for them.  
  
But I could hardly just let it sit there. It didn't exactly do much for the landscape. Several of the soldiers who had recovered from the blast quickest soared towards the devilish likeness of the King of Dragons. I hissed outwardly, spitting a long stream of curses as I increased my pace, using all of the oaths I knew and some I weren't even aware resided in my vocabulary. I found a few that I really liked, and made a mental note to store those away and add on to them later. In any case, this was hardly the time to broaden my already expansive knowledge in the realm of obscenities. Why were they wasting their time, and possibly their lives, when I had the Dragon Buster? Nothing good would come of it, and they were practically walking into the dragon's open jaws.  
  
Or hooks, as the case may be, and one swipe of said claw sent half a dozen Dragoons tumbling from the air. I doubted they were dead, but repairing the damage would be another costly strain on their magic reserves. I heard a male voice call my name, and I turned my head and spotted Shade close behind me, the turquoise orb of the Dragon Block Staff clamped firmly in his grasp. He had somehow managed to channel his mind through the sphere, and despite the power of the Dragon Buster, the King of Dragons was simply too titanic to fell with one blow. I was welcome for the help as I soared up to the Dragon's eye level, hoping to draw attention to the blazing artifact clutched in my hand. The Dragon's claw swatted at me as if I was an insect, but I knew I was a very dangerous pest. I ducked beneath the paw as it whistled past my head, with claws as large as elephant tusks, barely having time to do a barrel roll to the left as the Dragon's huge tail lashed at me like a whip.  
  
Staying out of reach from the Dragon's claws and teeth, I swerved around several tail swipes, landing near the ridge of spines running down its backbone, each scaly ridge as tall as a man is. I shot up his neck like a bullet, coming to rest at the base of the enormous head. Dodging one last swat from the tail, I plunged the Dragon Buster into the back of the skull. The scorching tip of the archaic saber pierced the beast's nearly impenetrable hide with unmatched ease. I quickly learned that the brain structures of Dragons were different then ours is, and my hope of slicing through the brain stem for an instant death was dashed. But Shade still had the orb, it just meant a great deal more personal discomfort as I kept my death hold tight.  
  
The Divine Dragon's eternal rage was reflected quite clearly in the tormented roar of its fiendish counterpart. My anticipation of unpleasant resistance proved prophetic, as the head twisted, heaved, and bucked, and the tail rained punishing blows on my own skull and neck. The heavy armored plates that protected my shoulders groaned in protest, and my head swam with the force of the blows, but I gripped the runic crosspieces of the sword like a shark to a particularly resolute victim, looking hopefully at Shade. His hands were positioned a good three inches away from the now- levitating crystal, his umber gaze fixed solely upon it, as though something resided in its depths that only he could see. A tremendous shiver ran through the savage, and the globe began to emit shimmering waves of verdant radiance. When the light struck me, I felt the pain wash away, my brain coming into sharper focus. Even the fatigue of the day's flight was gone, and judging by the magic that sang in my blood, he was not only siphoning the Dragon's life force but its arcane powers as well. Despite the fact that I felt like a nail that a giant was attempting to pound into a steel plate with a sledgehammer (for the stolen vitality could only heal the damage that was already inflicted, and although the sensation disappeared immediately, it was hardly an euphoric experience), I smiled. Leave it to Shade to think of something practical.  
  
The two most powerful creations of the golden age of the Winglies took their toll, as they had twice before. The convulsions became more sluggish, the repeated buffets on his shoulder blades almost frail. The glow from the jewel intensified, and Rayen soon got the impression that the behemoth was doing its best just to stay alive. As the majestic yet fearsome seven-eyed face shouted the last of its woe, in more of a fragile shriek than its once- awesome snarl, the sphere cracked, and finally shattered, the strain too powerful to contain inside the fist-sized emerald. Minute shards cascaded down like a glittering green rain, the body beneath me dissipated into wisps of shadowy smoke, and I fell somewhat gracelessly into a snowdrift.  
  
After pushing myself out of the slush, brushing ice off my armor in a halfhearted attempt to salvage my dignity, my armor dwindled into nothingness, my Spirit falling gently into my palm. Although magic was no longer an issue, Shade's ploy had not managed to extend our transformations' spans. I seized the opportunity to pull out both my sword and my previously devised profanities, thrashing the former to release my bitterness and elaborating on the latter in ways best not mentioned in print. After sufficiently expending a good week's worth of damnation, I strode over to Abrian, who had reconstructed some semblance of order while Shade and I fought. "How many did we lose?"  
  
The native shook his ash-blonde mane, leaning on his broadsword with a troubled expression. "Nineteen. A few more caught a partial blow, but they recovered along with the six that were clawed when Shade drained the Dragon."  
  
Nineteen dead. A tenth of our entire force decimated in mere seconds because of my mistake. I heard a deep bass boom from behind me, filled with disappointment and scorn. "You really blew it this time."  
  
I whipped around, expecting to see Victor's stern, unforgiving gaze looking down on me, and instead found myself staring at Oraeus, with a condemning aspect that I had never seen on his usually sympathetic countenance before. He continued, with his words filled with icy disdain. "We're finished now. You know that, don't you?"  
  
I floundered for words. What did he want, an apology? I suddenly tensed out of ire. Who did he think he was, anyway? He, who left his son behind for dead in a burning village, was talking to me like this?  
  
But Oraeus did not relent. "You've driven us into the ground. All they have to do now is bury us."  
  
My brows contracted in anger. The hilt of my sword suddenly felt warm in my palm, and my ears rang with a sudden intense headache. I could scarcely hear his voice, but I knew well enough what was being said, as he verbally picked apart my every flaw. Did he think that I didn't understand?  
  
The next moment was a blur in my eyes, so I can only relate what I heard. Several people screamed, followed by something let out an earthshaking bellow, and there was a deafening crash of metal. When I regained my sight, I found myself staring up from the damp ground into the face of Jineraq, his lips curled back in a scowl that showed his rows of gleaming white fangs, hatred blazing in his amber eyes. Around the Golden Dragon's massive bulk, I saw a crowd of my warriors assembled around us, all staring at me or whatever lay behind Jineraq, obscured from my vision. I craned my neck to see around the drake's flank, and then my whole body went numb.  
  
Artaeris was kneeling in the snow; his face so twisted that the expression was completely unreadable. In his hand was a spherical topaz, shining with a fierce aura of gold. Beside him lay his father, a neat hole through his chest. Almost hypnotically, my eyes traced back to my side. Azmerak, the Destroyer, lay beside me, its silver runes glistening with the half- Giganto's blood.  
  
I had killed Oraeus.  
  
The realization splashed over me like a tidal wave, restoring feeling to me in a rush of freezing pain. The winged shell of darkness that encased me died in a triumphant gleam of shadow. My stone had deceived me into believing it was spent, like a serpent with a single lethal dose left in its venom sacs. With the last spurt of the unnatural dragon-like strength I had, I shoved Jineraq away, where he bunched up and prepared to pounce again, but half a dozen humans scurried up and caught hold of him. Glancing around in a final horrified, desperate endeavor to find something other than a gaunt, bleak, and hopeless face in the crowd, I seized my now- disenchanted sword and ran. I sped off without direction, with no course but escape. My boots sunk into the snow as I fled, leaving my footprints behind in the crumpled flakes.  
  
At the time, I refused to look back, not wanting to see them watching me as I bolted like a coward. But my trail betrayed the truth. The faster I ran, the further my feet sank. The deeper my footprints, the more snow it would require to fill those holes. The harder I fled, the longer it would be before I ever could turn around and understand what lay behind me.  
  
Author's Note: That chapter was nearly three times as long as my average Rebirth chapter. 4,100 words... no wonder my brain is fried. In any case, this story will be 84 chapters long upon its completion. After this, we have one more chapter, then Last Battle Parts Uno y Dos, and then the Epilogue! Yay, I'm ALMOST DONE. 


End file.
